Paul McCartney will release a soundtrack album on Feb. 27. It accompanies the documentary Man on the Run, which tracks his work with Wings across the 1970s. Capitol Records, MPL Communications, and UMG revealed the 12-track collection. It includes three previously unreleased recordings, plus hits from that era.
The soundtrack spans McCartney’s 1970 solo debut through McCartney II in 1980. Director Morgan Neville, an Academy Award winner, created the documentary. It will hit theaters in a limited release on Feb. 19, then stream worldwide on Prime Video starting on Feb. 27.
Archival footage and Linda McCartney’s photographs drive the story. The film runs almost two hours and includes fresh interviews with the McCartney family, Sean Ono Lennon, Mick Jagger, and Chrissie Hynde.
This project arrives after recent releases: the book Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run and the Wings compilations on CD and vinyl. On McCartney’s website, he wrote, “I’m so very happy to be transported back to the time that was Wings and relive some of our madcap adventures through this book. Starting from scratch after The Beatles felt crazy at times. There were some very difficult moments, and I often questioned my decision. But as we got better, I thought, ‘OK, this is really good.’ We proved Wings could be a really good band.”
Multiple formats launch on Feb. 27. Collectors can grab a limited-edition New York Taxi Cab Yellow Vinyl LP. A Black Vinyl LP, a one-CD edition, and digital release round out the options.
Each vinyl edition includes a Man on the Run poster. The CD version sits in a digipak with a 12-page booklet inside, while the vinyl weighs 180 grams and comes with a foldout poster.
Some of the biggest rock stars are also accomplished painters. Rock stars who paint make up a larger group than you might think. We’re not talking about a side hobby. We’re talking real-deal art.
Rock Stars Who Paint
Ronnie Wood – Rolling Stones/Faces
Long before he became a rock icon, Wood studied art in London. He’s known for bold, expressive portraits of fellow musicians, including Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, and Mick Jagger. His work has been displayed in major galleries around the world. Ronnie sells art through his website. He sells limited-edition canvases and prints that run into thousands of dollars. He once joked that painting helps him relax between tours. Not bad for a guy who’s been rocking stadiums for six decades.
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney may be one of the most famous musicians in history, but he’s also a dedicated painter. After The Beatles broke up, he turned to painting as a form of therapy and self-expression. He works mostly in bold, colorful, abstract, and impressionistic styles. You can see a selection of his media pieces on his website. McCartney’s artwork has been displayed in galleries around the world, including major exhibitions in Europe and North America. His art regularly sells out shows.
Paul Stanley – KISS
This rock star who paints has a style that is loud, colorful, and unapologetically bold, just like his stage persona. His paintings feature bright splashes of color, abstract figures, and emotional themes. He’s sold thousands of pieces through galleries and touring exhibits. In true KISS fashion, Paul said his art is about “emotion and freedom,” not perfection. You can find a huge selection of Stanley’s work in the Wentworth Gallery.
Stevie Nicks
Most fans know Stevie Nicks as the mystical heart of Fleetwood Mac, but she’s also been a lifelong visual artist. Long before she became famous, she sketched and painted as a creative outlet. Over the years, she’s created drawings, handwritten lyric art, and mixed-media pieces inspired by fantasy, poetry, and personal experiences. You can see some of Stevie’s art on inherownwords.com. According to the website, Stevie said, “I only draw angels. I started to draw when my best friend got Leukemia.”
John Mellencamp
The Indiana-born rocker is a serious painter influenced by German expressionism. His work is darker and more intense, often focusing on faces and social themes. Mellencamp’s paintings have been displayed at the Butler Institute of American Art and other respected museums. He’s said painting keeps him grounded when the spotlight gets overwhelming. John’s website has a section dedicated to his paintings. Lithographs of his work are available for purchase.
David Bowie
David Bowie was also a trained visual artist who took painting seriously long before most fans knew about it. He studied art and design as a teenager in London and continued painting throughout his life. Bowie’s artwork often featured portraits, abstract figures, and surreal imagery influenced by German Expressionism and modern European art. One of David’s more famous paintings is a portrait of Iggy Pop. Here’s a cool 5-minute history of how Bowie started painting after he and Iggy Pop moved to Berlin while in recovery.
Bob Dylan
Dylan has been creating visual art for decades, including paintings, sketches, and even large metal sculptures. His work has been exhibited in major museums across Europe and the U.S. He admitted that his drawing began on tour to kill time. It turned into a whole new career. Bobdylanart.com showcases many of his paintings and sculptures.
The Need to Express Creatively
What connects all these artists is the same thing Detroit knows well: real creativity doesn’t clock out. Whether it’s Ronnie Wood sketching backstage, Mellencamp painting late at night, or Paul Stanley splashing color across a canvas, these musicians prove that rock and roll is more than music. It’s a mindset. Their need to express themselves manifests in many ways. These rock stars who paint rest one part of their creativity while expressing another side of that creative energy flow. Truly amazing.
A NOTE ON THE TOP PICTURE OF THIS ARTICLE: The picture of David Bowie and Freddie Mercury was done by performance speed painter, Dave Santia. Dave is not in a rock band, but he is still a rock star in our book.
Donielle Flynn has two kids, two cats, two dogs, and a love of all things rock. She’s been in radio decades and held down top-rated day parts at Detroit, Philadelphia, and Washington DC radio stations throughout her tenure. She enjoys writing about rock news, the Detroit community, and she has a series called “The Story Behind” where she researches the history of classic rock songs.
Paul McCartney: Man on the Run, in Movie Theaters for ONE NIGHT ONLY, Limited screenings on Thursday, February 19th.
WCSX has your chance to win FREE passes to the premier!Register below for your chance to win!
Paul McCartney: Man on the Run comes to movie theaters nationwide for one night only!
Screening on Thursday February 19, Tickets go on sale Wednesday, February 4th.
Man on the Run captures Paul’s transformative decade in the wake of The Beatles’ break-up.
Featuring interviews with Mick Jagger, Chrissie Hynde, Sean Ono Lennon, Mary and Stella McCartney, all the living Wings members, and Paul himself
Includes a bonus conversation with Paul McCartney & director Morgan Neville, exclusive to movie theaters!
Paul McCartney: Man on the Run The New Documentary Chronicling Paul McCartney and Wings’ 1970s Ascension, Directed by Morgan Neville Released In Cinemas For One Day Only, Thursday 19th February By Trafalgar Releasing Tickets On Sale From 4th February at manontherun.film
Register below for your chance to win FREE passes to the February 19th premier!
Contest details: For this contest, enter online at wcsx.com by completing the entry form between 6:00amEastern Standard Time (ET) on Monday February 2, 2026 and 11:00pm Eastern Standard Time (ET) on Friday February 13, 2026. WCSX will randomly select up to Five (5) winners on Monday February 16, 2026 and upon verification, will receive PRIZE. The Approximate Retail Value (‘ARV’) is $TBD. Up to Five (5) prize winners will be selected as described. Courtesy of WCSX. WCSX’s General Contest Rules apply and are available by Here General Contest Rules – 94.7 WCSX
Paul McCartney of Beatles fame is honoring late Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir, who passed away on Jan. 10 at the age of 78.
McCartney took to social media to share his thoughts about the influential guitarist and musician.
Paul McCartney Talks Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead
“Bob Weir was a great musician who inspired many people of many generations,” McCartney stated on Instagram. “I last saw Bob when we went to the Sphere in Las Vegas to watch Dead and Co. He was very welcoming and during the interval in the show he invited us into his trailer, and it was a special moment to meet his family and friends.”
McCartney also told a story about Weir showing him how he was set up to record music in the back of his tour bus years ago and how that conversational almost resulted in a collaboration.
“I offered to play the bass on one of the tracks he played me but unfortunately that never came to pass,” McCartney said. It would have been nothing short of magical to hear McCartney and Weir together on a track. What could have been, right?
“His humour, friendship and musicianship inspired me and will inspire many people into the future,” McCartney added in the post. “Our family’s thoughts go out to Bob’s family at this time of loss, and I know they will remain as strong as he would wish them to be.”
McCartney signed the message, “God bless you Bob. See you down the road. Love Paul.”
“The outpouring of love for Bobby from rock royalty to the kid on the lot is inspirational and helps us through. Thank you Sir Paul,” one follower stated on Instagram.
“Rest easy Bobby. Would have loved to have heard that track,” another said, referring to that lost collaboration.
Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.
Ozzy’s Back to the Beginning concert was life-changing. Nothing of that scope had ever been done before. It’s a short list of rock royalty that have the catalogue and resume to headline a concert of that nature. The first question: Was the rock icon in more than one great band? Secondly, do they have enough well-known songs to support this sort of tribute? Thirdly, is the artist living?
The Model of “Back to the Beginning”
In my opinion, the show’s design is genius. Worldwide bands, or “all-star” line-ups of well-known rockers, compile the acts. Each act plays just a handful of songs, including one or more cover songs from the honoree. The honoree plays a few songs solo and a few songs with the band(s) he’s most known for. Who can fit the bill on this?
Rock Icons Built for a Legacy Concert
Sammy Hagar
Sammy Hagar’s time in Montrose, Van Halen, and as a solo artist make Sammy rock royalty. Yet Sammy, much like Ozzy, still has this relatable quality that makes us feel like we know him.
The Red Rocker first broke through in the early ’70s with Montrose, helping define American hard rock with songs like “Rock Candy” and “Bad Motor Scooter.” That era captured the stripped-down, no-frills power that laid the groundwork for everything that followed.
On top of that, Hagar’s solo career delivered its own run of anthems, from “I Can’t Drive 55” to “There’s Only One Way to Rock,” proving he didn’t need a band name to command a crowd.
At the height of his solo career, Sammy was asked to front one of the biggest rock bands of the ’80s, cementing his rock icon status. Hagar was the frontman for Van Halen for roughly 11 years, from 1985 to 1996. His run with Van Halen was packed with chart-topping hits and massive tours. Ten of Van Halen’s thirteen #1 hits on the mainstream rock charts were songs from the Van Hagar era.
Dave Grohl
Grohl first rose to global prominence as the powerhouse drummer for Nirvana, ushering in the grunge sound and attitude of the early ’90s. Albums like Nevermind changed rock forever, and Grohl’s drumming was a huge influence that still echoes through rock radio today.
From the ashes of Nirvana, Grohl reinvented himself by forming Foo Fighters, stepping out front as singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter. What began as a personal project evolved into one of the most consistent and successful rock bands of the last 30 years. GRohl’s catalogue of songs with Nirvana and the Foo Fighters is a treasure trove of songs for a tribute concert.
Grohl has also honored rock’s past by stepping into legendary lineups, most notably performing with Queens of the Stone Age during the Songs for the Deaf era. His work there proved he could slide seamlessly into another major band and elevate their sound without overpowering it.
Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page would be a cornerstone choice for a concert in the spirit of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Back to the Beginning” because few musicians can trace the entire arc of hard rock’s creation, rise, and legacy as directly as this rock icon can.
Page first emerged as a defining force in British rock with The Yardbirds, stepping into the band in 1966 and pushing their sound toward heavier blues and psychedelic experimentation.
Jimmy’s next chapter changed rock history. As the founder, guitarist, and primary architect of Led Zeppelin, Page helped create the blueprint for hard rock and heavy metal. Zeppelin’s catalog didn’t just dominate the charts; it redefined what a rock band could be. Page wasn’t just a guitarist. He was a producer, visionary, and sonic architect.
In the 1980s, Page proved his legacy wasn’t locked in the past by forming The Firm with Paul Rodgers. The band showed Page could thrive outside Zeppelin while still delivering powerful, radio-ready rock that honored his roots without repeating them.
Beyond bands, Page’s résumé includes elite collaborations such as Coverdale + Page, world tours with the Black Crowes, and countless studio sessions that quietly shaped the sound of British rock long before fame arrived. Like Ozzy, Jimmy Page isn’t tied to one era: he helped invent the genre, then carried it forward.
David Coverdale
Coverdale first stepped into rock’s top tier when he joined Deep Purple in 1973. Fronting the band during its Mark III and IV eras, he helped usher Deep Purple into a heavier, bluesier direction with albums like Burn and Stormbringer. Songs from that period remain staples of classic rock radio and proved Coverdale could command one of the biggest bands in the world.
Rather than staying put, this rock icon went on to build something entirely his own. In 1978, Coverdale formed Whitesnake, initially rooted in blues rock before evolving into one of the defining hard rock acts of the ’80s. With hits like “Here I Go Again,” “Is This Love,” and “Still of the Night,” Coverdale’s second chapter brought even bigger success. In the 1990s, Coverdale added another prestigious line to his résumé by teaming up with Jimmy Page in Coverdale + Page.
Like Ozzy, David Coverdale represents a complete rock journey — from legendary bands to chart-dominating reinvention — all carried by a voice that has remained powerful, distinctive, and instantly recognizable. That depth, longevity, and authenticity make him tailor-made for a career-spanning tribute of the highest level.
Paul McCartney
McCartney first changed the world as a founding member of The Beatles, helping write and perform the most influential catalogue in popular music history. From early rock and roll to studio experimentation, the Beatles reshaped what a band could be, and McCartney’s melodic instincts and versatility were at the heart of that evolution.
Rather than resting on that legacy, McCartney immediately proved his staying power by forming Wings in the early 1970s. Wings became one of the most successful bands of the decade, delivering chart-topping albums and radio staples that stood entirely on their own. Songs like “Band on the Run” showed McCartney could dominate a new era without leaning on his past.
Alongside those bands, McCartney’s solo career added yet another dimension, producing hits that reinforced his ability to adapt while remaining unmistakably himself. Whether stripped down or arena-ready, his songwriting continued to connect across generations.
Like Ozzy, Paul McCartney represents a complete rock journey; groundbreaking beginnings, reinvention at the peak of fame, and a legacy that continues to resonate decades later. Few artists can headline a career-spanning tribute with material from multiple legendary bands and still leave songs on the table. McCartney isn’t just qualified for a concert of that magnitude; he helped create the blueprint for it.
Honary Mention: Paul Rodgers
Rodgers first made his mark with Free, delivering a stripped-down, blues-driven sound that helped define early ’70s British rock. Free was a huge influence on the hard rock and blues artists that followed. “All Right Now” is still a staple of classic rock.
Paul took that foundation and scaled it up with Bad Company, fronting one of the most successful rock bands of the 1970s. “Shooting Star,” “Feel Like Making Love,” and countless other songs make Paul Rodgers one of the few rockers in more than one great band who has the catalogue to handle a tribute concert of “Back to the Beginning” nature.
In the mid-1980s, Rodgers teamed up with Jimmy Page in The Firm, proving his voice could stand alongside one of rock’s most iconic guitarists. Double that with Rodgers’ time fronting for Queen, and you have the perfect rock icon trifecta: bands, hits, and well-liked in the industry.
Paul has an honorary mention. He is not a likely candidate to accept the honor. The biggest hurdle with Paul Rodgers is his health factors. After suffering multiple strokes in the past decade, Paul prefers to keep things very calm and zen these days. If he didn’t show up for Bad Company’s induction into the Rock Hall, it’s doubtful that he would be willing to perform at a tribute concert… even if he is the guest of honor.
Other strong candidates: Bob Dylan, Eddie Vedder, Brian May, Eric Clapton, Alice Cooper, Maaynard James Keenan, and Jack White
The other missing pieces for creating another rock icon legacy concert: the planners. Tom Morello was enlisted by Sharon Osbourne to put the line-upstogether. Artists aren’t likely to spearhead their own tribute concert. Someone with the right ties needs to start the ball rolling on behalf of the guest of honor. Finding those people will be the secret behind future legacy rock icon legacy concerts.
Paul McCartney picked his Got Back Tour as 2025’s biggest moment during his final website Q&A session this year. The 83-year-old musician revealed he’s working on a fresh album and provided details about multiple upcoming releases slated for 2026.
“But yeah, if I had to pick one I think the tour was probably the highlight of the year for me — it was so successful and enjoyable for everyone involved,” he said. Twenty-one concerts across North America kicked off September 26 in Santa Barbara, California. The final two performances took place on November 24-25 in Chicago.
McCartney credited fans for making each show exceptional. “The … tour was spectacular: the audiences were so warm and receptive,” he noted.
Phone-free concerts at Bowery Ballroom in New York City, Santa Barbara, and Nashville left the strongest impression on him. “People aren’t just holding up phones, so you really see the whites of their eyes. It’s lovely!” he said.
What excites him most about 2026? “My new album!” he declared. “We’re just starting to think about how to put that together.” Production talks have begun.
Man on the Run will arrive soon — a documentary Morgan Neville directed about McCartney’s years after The Beatles disbanded.
High in the Clouds, an animated movie adapted from his 2005 children’s book, also nears completion. “We’ve finished up all the recordings of the vocalists in the last couple of days,” he said. Ringo Starr lends his voice, along with Celine Dion, Lionel Richie, Idris Elba, Jimmy Fallon, Hannah Waddingham, and Himesh Patel.
His memoir Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run hit shelves in November. A Wings compilation dropped at the same time. “The great thing is there’s so much suddenly happening,” he said. “It’s like a log jam, loads of things have just come in.”
Asked about New Year’s resolutions, he cracked a joke: “To be a good boy!” Then came something more genuine. “I normally don’t have one, but what comes to mind is things like ‘to eat sensibly.’ That’s always a good one.”
On this day in rock history, T. Rex showcased their signature glam rock sound for the first time, the Beach Boys released a heavily soul-influenced album, and Keith Richards was born. Read on to learn more about some important rock music-related events from Dec. 18.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Some of the breakthrough moments and milestones we celebrate today include:
1971: T. Rex had already released four albums under the name Tyrannosaurus Rex, but released their second studio album, Electric Warrior, in September. It reached the top of the U.K. albums chart on Dec. 18 thanks in part to hits such as “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” and “Jeepster.”
1971: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Sly & the Family Stone were on top of the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart with their fifth studio album, There’s a Riot Goin’ On. It was a major commercial success, reaching Platinum status in the U.S. in 2001.
Cultural Milestones
Two iconic musicians who played in the same band share a birthday on Dec. 18:
1943: Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards was born in Dartford, Kent, England. After first meeting Mick Jagger in primary school, they later reunited and bonded over their shared passion for American rhythm-and-blues artists, forming the Rolling Stones in 1962.
1943: Saxophonist Bobby Keys was born on the other side of the Atlantic, in Franklin, Tennessee. He appeared on many legendary albums by the Rolling Stones, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, Lynyrd Skynyrd, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Dec. 18 is also the anniversary of some notable albums:
1967: The Beach Boys released their thirteenth studio album, Wild Honey, through Capitol Records. It was more soul-influenced than their earlier work and peaked at No. 24 on the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart.
1970: T. Rex’s self-titled album, the first under this name and fifth overall, was released via Fly Records in the U.K. and Reprise Records in the U.S. Besides the name change, it also marked the band’s departure from their earlier psychedelic folk sound into a more rock-oriented one.
2020: Paul McCartney released his eighteenth solo album, McCartney III, via Capitol Records. This project was a continuation of two of his previous albums, McCartney in 1970 and McCartney II, released in 1980. The ex-Beatle featured on most instruments.
Dec. 18 brought important career moments for rock ‘n’ roll artists such as T. Rex, the Beach Boys, and Paul McCartney. Make sure to come back tomorrow to discover more moments in rock history.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Royal Mint is celebrating Freddie Mercury with a new coin design that marks 40 years since his iconic Live Aid concert performance.
The coin features an image of the Queen front man, head thrown back and holding the microphone stand midperformance. A musical stave that runs around the edge of the coin represents his four-octave vocal range.
The first coin was struck by Mercury’s sister Kashmira Bulsara at the Royal Mint in Wales last week.
“As Freddie died young, he didn’t get the chance of being awarded a royal medal for his talents in the music world. So to have a royal coin this way is wonderful and very fitting,” she said.
“The coin perfectly captures his passion and the joy he brought to millions through his music,” she added. “I think the design is very impressive and they managed to catch the most iconic pose of Freddie, which is so recognizable worldwide.”
The Royal Mint’s director of commemorative coin, Rebecca Morgan, said the timing was perfect for Mercury to be celebrated with his own coin. She said fans had been “calling out” for it and “this felt like the year to do it,” because it’s 40 years since he captivated audiences at the 1985 Live Aid concert, hailed by many as the greatest live gig of all time.
This year also marks the 40th anniversary of Mercury’s solo studio album, “Mr Bad Guy.”
Mercury died at age 45 in 1991, just one day after he publicly announced he was HIV positive.
The Royal Mint has issued special coins to celebrate other music legends including David Bowie, George Michael, Shirley Bassey and Paul McCartney.
The coins go on sale on the Royal Mint website on Tuesday. Prices start at 18.50 pounds ($24.4) for an uncirculated 5-pound denomination version. A 2 oz. gold proof coin costs 9,350 pounds ($12,315.)
The Royal Mint said it will donate a special gold edition of the coin to the Mercury Phoenix Trust, a charity that was started in the singer’s memory and donates funds to those living with AIDS and HIV.
Paul McCartney releases a Wings compilation album on Nov. 7. The 83-year-old handpicked every track.
Buyers can grab it in different ways. A 1LP and 2CD version hits stores, and there’s a bigger 3LP 180g vinyl package with 32 tracks. The three-LP version packs in classics like “Band on the Run,” “Live and Let Die,” “Jet,” and Let ‘Em In.
The 3LP package arrives in a hardback slipcase that McCartney designed with Aubrey Powell from Hipgnosis. Inside, there’s a booklet with an intro from the ex-Beatle, plus Powell’s notes on each album’s artwork. A poster comes tucked inside, as well.
McCartney first played the city in 1965, when the Beatles took Atlanta Stadium. He’s returned eight more times, including a 1976 Wings gig at the Omni.
The current tour runs 35 songs across seven decades. Help! popped back into the setlist after disappearing for over 30 years. Coming Up showed up again, as well.
Sisters Lillian, 19, and Faith Merriman, 22, drove from Orlando for one show. “I’m so excited,” Lillian said, according to GPB. “I’ve loved the Beatles for a long time.”
Rusty Anderson handles guitar, Brian Ray plays guitar and bass, Abe Laboriel Jr. plays drums, and Paul “Wix” Wickens plays keyboards. Each concert honors John Lennon and George Harrison. Ringo Starr hit 85 in July.
The tour pushes through late November. A book about Wings arrives later this year. On Instagram, McCartney wrote, “I’m so very happy to be transported back to the time that was Wings and relive some of our madcap adventures. … We proved Wings could be a really good band. To play to huge audiences in the same way The Beatles had and have an impact in a different way. It was a huge buzz.”
Paul McCartney plans to release WINGS, a fresh compilation of 32 tracks from his 1970s group. The album hits stores on November 7, while he’s still on his Got Back tour in the US.
Music fans can get this compilation in three ways: a triple vinyl set, a double CD pack, or a single record. The big vinyl version sits in a special case, which McCartney worked with Hipgnosis artist Aubrey Powell to make it just right.
Buyers find much more than music inside the box. A thick book starts with words from Paul himself, plus Powell’s take on the cover art. Music writer Pete Paphides adds his thoughts, while artist Humphrey Ocean’s photos show the band in their prime. The three-record set also includes a wall-sized poster.
The track list mixes big hits with hidden treasures. Next to “Band on the Run” and “Live and Let Die,” you’ll find surprises like the road-trip anthem “Helen Wheels” and the smooth “Arrow Through Me.”
On stage, McCartney switches between three musical lives: Wings member, Beatle, and solo artist. At Tulsa’s BOK Center, Paul spotted his wife, Nancy Shevel, watching and gave her a sweet mention, The Oklahoman reports. The night jumped between Wings hits like “Band on the Run” and Beatles classics such as “Drive My Car.” The crowd sang along to every word.
The tour is still happening across America until late November. Fans can still get tickets to future shows on the Beatle’s website.
Paul McCartney put on a stunning three-hour show at Coors Field, which stretched past midnight.
“I can tell you’re going to be a great crowd,” McCartney told the audience early in the show, according to The Denver Gazette.
The night started with “Help!” — a song that he hadn’t played since 1965. What followed was a mix of Beatles songs, Wings tracks, and fresh work like 2018’s “Come On to Me.”
John Lennon’s voice from the ’69 Apple Corps show joined in for “I’ve Got a Feeling,”. A touching moment came when McCartney picked up a special ukulele, which was a gift from George, to play “Something.”
“Back in the ’60s, when there was a lot of troubles going on, in the southern states of America particularly, over civil rights, we would get the news from America to England,” McCartney told the crowd before playing “Blackbird,” according to Westword. “I wanted to write a song that if it ever got back to any of the people going through that, it might just give them a little bit of hope.”
This show was the 78th from his Got Back Tour, which started in 2022. The current run began in Palm Springs last month and finishes in Chicago in late November.
This tour adds to his record of commercially successful shows, such as his 2002 world tour that brought in $126 million. Fans can revisit past shows and get tickets for future performances from Paul McCartney’s official website.
Rob Reiner famously cast his mother in a key scene in his 1989 classic When Harry Met Sally — but he now says he may not have realized how awkward directing it was going to be.
The latter starred Crystal and Ryan as the title characters, and the two had a key scene in the film where Sally and Harry are having lunch at a busy deli. Their conversation consists of Sally trying to convince a dubious Harry that at least one of his past sexual partners has more than likely faked an orgasm with him. Sally fakes the act — loudly, while banging on her table — and brings stares from fellow diners. The scene ends with one of the greatest lines in movie history, uttered by Estelle Reiner: “I’ll have what she’s having.”
But things got really awkward for Reinger when he had to step in and show Ryan how he wanted her to act out the moment.
“First couple of times, she didn’t do it full out,” he said. “And finally, I sat across from Billy. And I acted it for her.… And I’m pounding the table, ‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’ And I’m realizing I’m having an orgasm in front of my mother, you know? There’s my mother over there.”
The movie ends with — spoiler alert! — longtime friends Harry and Sally getting married and talking about their wedding reception. Interestingly, that wasn’t the way things might have ended: As noted on 60 Minutes, Reiner actually changed the ending to a happy one after he met his now-wife Michele, who now serves as a producer on his films, including Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.
Reiner — who also reprises his role in that sequel as the director of a documentary about a hapless rock band — says he realizes there was a “high bar” given the reviews on the cult classic original, which was released 41 years ago.
“Are we crazy to do another one?” he said. “It’s crazy. The bar is just way too high.”
Christopher Guest (left) and Rob Reiner in Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.
“Now it’s 40 years later, we have these rights: Whaddaya do with ’em? And we started throwing out ideas,” Reiner explained.
Both films rely heavily on ad-libbing — or “schnadeling,” as Reiner calls it — from the cast but also from the famous faces who cameo, including Paul McCartney.
The original movie, which is credited with helping launch the mockumentary genre, poked fun at rock bands and took its inspiration from some real-life scenarios.
“Apparently, Van Halen had a rider in their contract: ‘No brown M&Ms,’” Reiner said. “So some roadie had to sit there picking out the brown M&Ms. It’s crazy. So we looked at that, and we said, ‘There’s a scene.’” That inspired a scene wherein Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) complains about the bread being too small.
Michael McKean also reprises his role as David St. Hubbins in the film, which was released in theaters last month and is also available on streaming platforms.
Oct. 4 is overshadowed by the death of one of rock’s greatest voices, Janis Joplin. However, many other notable events took place on this day in rock history. These are some of the most important.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several iconic acts, such as Queen and The Beatles, had important career milestones on this day. These are some of the most significant breakthroughs and pivotal moments in rock that happened on Oct. 4:
1969: The Beatles’ eleventh and final studio album, Abbey Road, reached the top spot of the U.K. singles chart, where it spent an unprecedented 17 weeks in total. It returned to the top spot half a century later, in 2019, with its 50th-anniversary expanded edition, marking the longest gap between No. 1 album runs.
1969: On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Creedence Clearwater Revival reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart with their third studio album Green River. It was their first U.S. No. 1 album and stayed there for four weeks.
1980: Queen started a three-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with their hit song “Another One Bites the Dust.” Written by bass player John Deacon, it became the band’s most successful single ever.
Cultural Milestones
Oct. 4 marks Janis Joplin’s lost battle with addiction but also celebrates the beginnings of one of rock’s most legendary acts. These are the most relevant rock culture moments of the day:
1968: Led Zeppelin, then called The New Yardbirds and featuring Jimmy Page, played their first concert in the U.K. at the Mayfair Ballroom in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It followed their Scandinavian tour and would prove to be a pivotal moment in rock history, including future legendary songs such as “Dazed and Confused,” “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You,” “Communication Breakdown,” and “How Many More Times.”
1970: Janis Joplin died of an alleged heroin overdose at the Landmark Motor Hotel in Hollywood, California. She had been working on her Pearl album, which was released posthumously and spent nine weeks at the top spot of the Billboard 200 chart.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Some memorable live performances and album releases took place on Oct. 4. These are some of them:
1982: The Smiths played their first-ever show at The Ritz in Manchester, England. They opened for a band called Blue Rondo à la Turk as part of a student music and fashion show called An Evening of Pure Pleasure.
1999: Paul McCartney released his eleventh solo studio album, Run Devil Run, via Parlophone Records. It mostly consisted of 1950s rock and roll song covers, alongside three McCartney original compositions.
Despite the tragedy that happened on this day 55 years ago, Oct. 4 still offered rock fans and performers plenty of reasons to celebrate throughout the years. Come back tomorrow to discover the most era-defining moments that happened on that day in rock history.
Because literally thousands of books have been written about the Beatles—both as a group and individuals, the subcategories can get pretty minute. There is actually—no joke—one called A Cheese Sandwich for John Lennon in which a young Liverpudlian girl recalls, well, making said snack for a hungry pre-fame Beatle.
But one of the most interesting genres is Memoirs by People Employed By the Beatles. Among the better-known ones The Longest Cocktail Party by Apple “House Hippie” Richard Dilello, The Love You Make by NEMS executive Peter Brown, and Yesterday by PR man Alistair Taylor.
Even their chauffeur, Alf Bicknell, put out The Beatles Diary. And Frederic Seaman, a personal assistant at the end of Lennon’s life who later confessed to stealing hundreds of letters, documents, and photos after his boss was assassinated, had The Last Days of John Lennon.
But Elliot Mintz’sWe All Shine On: John, Yoko and Me (304 pp., $32, Dutton) has the interests of Beatle People especially piqued. Arguably, no one was closer to John and Yoko Lennon during the 1970s or spent more time with them in person or on the phone than Mintz.
After Lennon was assassinated, it was Mintz in countless photos with the grieving widow and speaking on her behalf to the media. And his association with her would continue for decades.
Mintz’s introduction to the couple came in a professional way. A radio talk show host and DJ, he had heard an album by Ono and it fascinated him. He arranged to interview her on the phone and kept the focus on her and her work rather than her famous husband.
Days later, Ono called him out of the blue to talk about all sorts of things. And the next day. And the next. Soon, he had spent hundreds of hours chatting with her (with some conversations stretching to seven hours), a curious Lennon started calling as well, racking up similar long-distance bills in the process.
Eventually, the Laurel Canyon-living Mintz was so used to getting calls from the Lennons at all hours, he had three phone lines installed: one for personal use, one for business, and one for the couple, with a red light flashing so he knew it was them.
Then the requests came in. Could Mintz secure some diet pills or syringes for the couple to self-medicate to lose weight (he couldn’t). Could he find out the birthdates of some potential West Coast business partners so Ono could see if they would work astrologically (he could).
And could he watch over Lennon when Ono tossed him out of the house, sending him to California with an assistant-turned-lover May Pang for the infamous and booze-and-drug laden “Lost Weekend” that lasted 18 months? (He did).
And in the process, introduced Lennon to his own musically famous friends Alice Cooper, Mickey Dolenz and Harry Nilsson. The four would form the core of the notorious Rainbow Bar and Grill-based drinking club The Hollywood Vampires.
Mintz writes harrowingly of witnessing Lennon at his Rock Bottom during the Lost Weekend. And at one point is called to the home he was staying to find the former Beatle, after having destroyed his host, producer Lou Adler’s living room and precious possessions, snarling like Linda Blair in the Exorcist while being restrained by ropes. He even calls Mintz something that was so hurtful, the author doesn’t repeat it here. And when Lennon was excited to visit a seedy strip club call the Losers with Mintz, the pair left after a dispiriting 30 minutes where not a customer nor lady taking off her clothes recognized one of the most famous faces in the world.
Interestingly, Mintz’s brief, read-between-the-lines summation of Pang is telling. She has in books, a documentary, and countless interviews discussed her affair with Lennon. But Mintz coyly suggests that the did not have the deep, romantic, and future-looking relationship with him that she thought or felt she had. Many of Mintz’s stories and recollections have appeared in some form or another elsewhere. But there are plenty of new tidbits. John Lennon was an anti-vaxxer distrustful of modern medicine and fought a losing battle to keep youngest son Sean from the needle. His ideas and practices for gambling were shite. And when the Lennons invited him to join them on a weeks-long sojourn to Japan, he was surprised at how spiritual the famously non-religious Lennon became while touring shrines.
And when he found himself—amazingly—the fifth wheel at a dinner with the Lennons and McCartneys at Elaine’s, their disdain for the food led them to order pizzas, which were duly delivered and consumed at the famous New York eatery.
Finally, it is Mintz who rushes across the country to arrive at the couple’s home at the Dakota building the day after Lennon was assassinated. He recalls sitting in the couple’s home with a shattered Ono, silently watching CNN with the sound turned off. And when John’s first son Julian Lennon arrives, it’s Mintz who is chosen to shepherd him around a city filled with hundreds of thousands mourning his dead father.
Eventually, the reader asks the same question about Elliot Mintz that the author himself does. What was he to John and Yoko in the end? Friend? Confidante? PR man? Fix-It Guy or Gofer? Family member? In the end, Mintz took on all of those roles—and more.
Hosted by Jane Pauley. In our cover story, Robert Costa reports on the fallout from the Biden-Trump debate. Also: Erin Moriarty looks at the enduring fashion style of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy; Anthony Mason talks with Paul McCartney about recently-discovered photos taken by the former Beatle in 1964; David Martin interviews the crew of the USS Carney about their deployment in the Red Sea, where they engaged with missiles and drones fired by Houthi rebels supporting Hamas; Dr. Jon LaPook examines the distinctions between normal and abnormal aging; David Pogue discusses Americans’ declining trust in the Supreme Court; Faith Salie visits a contest teaching history lessons; and Luke Burbank spins into the origins of the newest Olympic sport, breaking.
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Paul McCartney used his Pentax camera the same way he used his guitar: with total freedom. And in early 1964, the 21-year-old took his new camera on perhaps the most momentous musical journey of the 20th century: The Beatles’ invasion of America.
On The Beatles’ first visit to the United States, Paul McCartney brought his Pentax camera. The pictures he took, long thought lost, were recently found, and are the basis of a book and photo exhibition.
Paul McCartney
Hundreds of his photographs from that trip were recently rediscovered in McCartney’s archive: “It was really nice,” he said, “because I thought they were lost.”
An exhibition of the images, collected in the book, “1964: Eyes of the Storm,” originated at the National Portrait Gallery in London. The show is now on view at the Brooklyn Museum in New York.
He offered a tour of the exhibit to correspondent Anthony Mason.
McCartney explained his process: “Taking photographs, I’d be just looking for a shot. And so, I’d aim the camera and just sort of see where I liked it, you know, oh, that’s it. And invariably, you pretty much take one picture.
“We were moving fast. So, you just learned to take pictures quickly.”
Paul McCartney gives correspondent Anthony Mason a personal tour of an exhibition of the former Beatle’s photographs.
CBS News
One picture was taken as the group arrived at the Deauville Hotel in Miami. Mason said, “I think your quote in the book was, ‘I can almost hear her scream.’”
“Yeah, you can!” McCartney laughed. “The cop is going to restrain her, you know?”
Fans greet The Beatles in Miami in 1964.
Paul McCartney
“I also love the cop in the foreground who just sort of looks puzzled by everything,” said Mason.
“I like the architecture of that hotel,” said McCartney. “But, you know, as we were saying before, that had to be taken really quickly, just to snap that.”
“But, you have to have an eye to take that.”
“It’s my left one!”
The Beatles had started their trip in Paris. “And it was in Paris that we got the telegram, ‘Congratulations, boys, number one in the U.S. charts.’”
Setting up for their first appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in New York City.
Paul McCartney
In America they played “The Ed Sullivan Show.” Seventy-three million people would tune in. It was, McCartney writes, “the moment all hell breaks loose.”
Mason said, “To look at those pictures, it’s kind of you looking at the world, looking at you. You seemed very comfortable with it.”
“Yeah. I mean, you know, you got to think about it: We’re kids from Liverpool. And we’re trying to get famous, and it’s not easy. And we were like stars in America, and people loved us. So, we loved it. And having that number one was really the secret – because, if the journalists, you know, New York journalists, ‘Hey, Beatle! Hey, Beatle! Why you are here?’ whatever. We say, ‘We’re number one in your country!’ Bingo!”
Beatlemania in New York City.
Paul McCartney
From New York, The Beatles travelled by train to Washington, D.C. McCartney’s camera took the ride, too.
As they traveled South, Paul McCartney took this picture of a railroad worker: “I love this guy. He is like from where I’m from. He looked great. And he’s got his hand up, a little smile. It’s nice. It’s a great memory, you know?”
Paul McCartney
So many of McCartney’s pictures were taken on the move, including shots from his car of a policeman in Miami who’d pulled up next to him: “And that was basically what I saw. And we’d never seen policemen with guns. We just didn’t have that in England.”
Paul McCartney
But in Miami, McCartney broke out the color film. “For us, it was like going on holiday,” he said.
The Fab Four even had a few days off.
Mason said, “There are some great shots of all of you with, like, it looked like terry-cloth jackets.”
“Yeah, the hotel supplied them,” McCartney said. “You normally get, like, a robe, but this place, because it was Miami, had these little cool, little short things – and hats! We lived in them for days. Even Brian [Epstein], our manager. We thought they were really cool items of clothing.”
John Lennon, Brian Epstein, George Harrison and Ringo Starr in Miami.
Paul McCartney
He caught George relaxing with an anonymous admirer: “In that picture, yeah, I don’t think I was trying to protect her identity,” McCartney said. “I love her bathing costume. So great. And, you know, there is George, like I keep saying, living the life. He’s got a drink which is probably a scotch and Coke. He’s got a tan, the girl in the yellow bikini. For lads from Liverpool, that was exceptionally wonderful!”
George Harrison with an admirer in Miami.
Paul McCartney
The band went back home to England in late February. By early April, The Beatles had the top five songs on the U.S. charts. McCartney writes, “We spent the months and years after holding on for dear life.”
Liveright
Mason asked, “Did you remember all these when you saw them?”
“Kind of,” McCartney replied. “It was a very memorable period, you know?”
“But there was so much going on, I’m amazed you could process it and keep it all.”
“Yeah, so am I!” McCartney said. “For me, it is like a little slice of American history. And it’s my history, it’s the Beatles’ history. So, it was great to rediscover these pictures.”
An earlier version of this story was originally broadcast on June 18, 2023.
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Story produced by Ed Forgotson. Editor: Joseph Frandino.
Update, April 21: They can finally know what lo — oh, excuse us, what an induction is. Foreigner is officially bound for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, alongside other performers such as Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Peter Frampton, and A Tribe Called Quest. “I think it means more to me now than perhaps 20 years ago,” Foreigner’s Mick Jones told Billboard of the accomplishment. “I’ve had a great career, and this is like the whipped cream and cherry on top. It’s something I will savor over the years. It’s a great honor to be included among all these great artists who have been inducted over the years.” Jones thanked his stepson Mark Ronson for leading the charge online. “I had a good laugh seeing Paul’s Instagram post,” he added. You know, everyone’s good pal, Paul.
Original story follows.
Where the hell was this enthusiasm when Warren Zevon got his inaugural nomination last year? That’s a rant for another time, but anyway, Foreigner has been the benefactor of an uncharacteristically blatant and thirsty campaign to get inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with the jukebox heroes currently sitting on a shortlist of names that includes Peter Frampton, Cher, and Oasis. The latest recruit for the blitz is none other than Paul McCartney, an old pal of guitarist Mick Jones, who recorded a video to whip voters back into a single vision: “Foreigner, not in the Hall of Fame? What the fuck? Ah!”
Macca joins a robust crew of musicians organized by Mark Ronson to stump for Foreigner — Ronson is Jones’s stepson, placing him somewhere in our nepo-baby extended universe — which already included a longer video of Dave Grohl, Slash, Jack Black, and Flea verbalizing various states of disbelief that the band hasn’t already been inducted. Appearing on The Tonight Show on February 26, Ronson explained that the push has been due, in part, to Jones’s recent health struggles with Parkinson’s disease. “They’ve never been considered for it … we decided to go all out this year,” he explained. “I called in some favors. There’s some people I met along the way, making music myself, that I knew were fans of Foreigner.” Maybe they really were just waiting for a guy like him to get the ball rolling.
Both McCartney and Ono Lennon are musicians themselves. McCartney, 46, is the son of Paul McCartney and his first wife Linda McCartney. Ono Lennon is the child of the late John Lennon and wife Yoko Ono.
McCartney and Ono Lennon released their acoustic collaboration on Friday.
To announce the release, McCartney shared a photo of him and Ono Lennon to Instagram.
“Today I am so very excited to share my latest song co-written by my good friend @sean_ono_lennon,” McCartney wrote. “With the release of this song it feels like we’re really getting the ball rolling and I am so excited to continue to share music with you.”
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In a post to X (formerly Twitter), McCartney said he was inspired to write the song about “a vision as a child in Scotland, on what was a lovely summers [sic] day.”
“Letting go, I saw my true love and saviour in my mind’s eye. ‘Primrose Hill’ is about getting the ball rolling with me & finding this person,” he wrote.
I had a vision as a child in Scotland, on what was a lovely summers day. Letting go, I saw my true love and saviour in my mind’s eye. ‘Primrose Hill’ is about getting the ball rolling with me & finding this person.
The song is named after a famous park in London, U.K. Primrose Park in Camden is best known for its panoramic view of Regent’s Park and London’s iconic skyline.
Thanks for all the love for my new single ‘Primrose Hill’! There’s still time to enter the ‘Primrose Hill’ Music Video Contest – go to https://t.co/R8UZlpjUxX for more info.
McCartney and Ono Lennon have advertised a contest to do with the song’s release. The musicians asked their listeners to send a video with their partner that captures love in a romantic location that is special to them.
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“Couples should be seen enjoying each other’s company, engaging in activities, and listening to James McCartney’s song ‘Primrose Hill,’” the contest description reads.
The deadline to submit a video is April 19.
The winning couples will have the opportunity to star in a Primrose Hill music video, and can earn other swag like exclusive merchandise, signed albums or personalized messages from James McCartney.
AI puts the now in ‘Now and Then,’ Beatles’ last new song
Paul McCartney has 4.3 million Instagram followers, but we suspect not many noticed an interesting detail in a recent post. “Happy times for all you Bunnies!…
John was anxious, though, like all the Beatles, about what to expect. Would the American media be tough on them? Or misconstrue something they said in an interview? Would demonstrators, because of all the press on hand, use the opportunity to stage some kind of protest? As the plane taxied in, John and I saw a mob lining the terminal rooftop. But it was a mob of fans, waving and screaming hysterically. They were being serenaded. You could hear the crowd singing, “She Loves You, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.” It was a lovefest.
On the flight over, I’d proposed a photo idea, which the Beatles liked: I would be the fifth person off the plane, and as the band got halfway down the boarding stairs, they’d turn back and look at me—and I’d photograph them with the press, the crowd, and the New York skyline in the background. The picture would say, literally: Beatles come to America. But in my mind it also said: Benson got a picture no one else was in a position to take.
So we exited the plane: George, then John, Paul, Ringo, then me. And they got so distracted they forgot to turn around! They were caught up in this chaotic drama. The crowd was screaming. The press was screaming, “Look here!” It was deafening. I just grabbed Ringo’s coat and shouted, “Turn around!” and he hollered at the others, and they all looked back, Paul waving. Bingo. Thank you, Ringo. I fired off three frames. One shot ran in the Express the next day under the headline: “Crazy…that’s New York as the Beatles arrive.”
February 8, Manhattan
Our second day in New York, we went to the CBS TV studio for a rehearsal. Ed Sullivan was the host of the most popular variety show on television. He was deferential and obliging. He even put on a Beatles wig as a joke. They were soaking up the attention. Everywhere we went—in restaurants, passing a bar—there was Beatles music playing. But they never allowed themselves to get a swelled head. We usually just sat around at the Plaza.
As I had done in Paris, I stayed on the same floor as the band. Fact: When you have good-looking guys and their record’s number one, you have girls fighting to get onto the elevators and the back stairwells to get onto the 12th floor. Fact: A couple of girls snuck in and jumped on their beds and security had to take them away. This was rock and roll. Elvis Presley, same thing. But it was a big problem for Epstein because he didn’t want any incident to happen on his watch. He would discuss this with me: “We must watch this. We’re introducing young girls to the Beatles and we’re responsible.”
I began to understand how the band interacted. As I saw it, Paul was the leader. He seemed the most sophisticated, most business-minded, thinking about their image. He was upbeat and encouraging. John was a leader in other ways on other days. He was the conscience of the group, certainly. Creatively, you sensed John and Paul were in charge, insisting, “This is what we do.” Together, they had the last word.
