Just watched Man On The Run

[Andy Marshman]

I've been a life long Beatles fan. Saw them play twice. Saw Paul in Wings and several times in his current band. Obviously, I wanted to see the movie. I learned a couple of things about Paul and his life. My comment? - I MUST have liked, actually Loved it because suddenly it was over. I wanted more! I didn't know that this story would end shortly after the murder of John.

 

[57pbass]

I enjoyed it as well..not really familiar with Wings catalog aside from the mainstream hits. I have been listening to lots of Beatles music on my long road trips and there are always Wings tunes playing. I did not realize that he and Linda were married for 30 years…
Joe English went on to play with Sea Level with Allman Brothers - Chuck Levell and Lamar Williams… if you can track down the
Sea Level - Live From Saratoga Springs.. it’s a great show and he’s a really great drummer.

 

[sonic boogaloo]

wings... only the band the beatles could have been.

 

[Jaycat]

I put up with about 20 minutes of it before switching it off. The amateurish animations and whatever the fake Beatles were supposed to be didn't do much for me.

 

[Stylee Mousse]

I found it interesting

I grew up hearing new Wings, Queen and Bowie songs in the car on long drives to the beach on family vacations. They were like magic to me!

I remember that Linda got a lot of abuse from butthurt Beatles fans. It was sad watching Paul trying to twit a reporter when asked about John’s death. He was so plainly broken, yet people felt free to judge his response as callus. I remember how I felt in the days after a friend and ex band mate of mine was murdered. If you got in my Face like that reporter I would have either slugged them or said something awkward too.

I guess I’m trying to say that it gave me perspective on what the fame I chased when younger could have cost me. It would have been a bad trade for the life I have lived, without the weight of ignorant judgment.

 

[nixdad]

Yep, I saw the movie last week and enjoyed it as well. I'm also a big PM fan since the 60's, saw him live in '89 and have been in an A/E Beatles band since 2012.

Certainly an interesting review of this period in his career. The film certainly clarified a few points concerning the end of The Beatles, and included some poignant John and Paul moments.

One of the most interesting things (which no doubt led to Wings achieving their peak) was Paul's lack of awareness concerning his fellow musicians. Not judging here at all, but Paul had left the biggest, most famous band in the world and was obviously set financially, but appeared to be oblivious to financial situation of guitarist Henry McCullough and drummer Denny Seiwell (no doubt Denny Laine was likely in better shape financially than the other two.) It was mentioned that these guys were on a limited retainer, so when Paul mentioned later that they were going to be recording in Lagos (Africa,) they both bailed.

It was fascinating that Paul mentioned he had the attitude that this was a band building it's way up as mates like The Beatles, so financial rewards would follow as the band became more successful. As was revealed in the documentary, this contributed directly to the success of the "Band On the Run" album, and eventually to the change in personnel and band peak during the mid-70's.

 

[buldog5151bass]

wings... only the band the beatles could have been.

To me, Wings showed how much Paul needed John - some great melodies and playing, but too much "cute". Same way most of John's work showed how Paul's polish helped him.

 

[brianrost]

Macca wouldn’t be the first (or last) bandleader to not pay close attention to how his managers were dealing with the others in the band.

To me, Wings showed how much Paul needed John - some great melodies and playing, but too much "cute". Same way most of John's work showed how Paul's polish helped him.

I always loved this song which was Paul showing he could sound like John.

 

[pb9717]

His lack of knowledge regarding how poorly his fellow musicians were getting paid, and his lack of empathy at their struggling financial status, seems to be the mindset of many solo artists. I have worked with a ton of guys doing club dates in New York that were hired guns for many A-listers. They were all financially struggling. Imagine playing too 20,000 people in Egypt, and coming home after almost a year of touring with $60,000. And trying to support a wife, a child, and rent in New York city’s Metro area. There’s another film called “sideman“, which also clearly depicts how poorly hired musicians get paid in an a list act.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

His lack of knowledge regarding how poorly his fellow musicians were getting paid, and his lack of empathy at their struggling financial status, seems to be the mindset of many solo artists. I have worked with a ton of guys doing club dates in New York that were hired guns for many A-listers. They were all financially struggling. Imagine playing too 20,000 people in Egypt, and coming home after almost a year of touring with $60,000. And trying to support a wife, a child, and rent in New York city’s Metro area. There’s another film called “sideman“, which also clearly depicts how poorly hired musicians get paid in an a list act.

Yeah..
Sir Paul is a big hero of mine. Maybe the ultimate hero at the end of the day.
But..he wasn't perfect. Among his many great attributes, generosity wasn't one of them.
The sad final days of Mal Evans made that clear long before Wings.

 

[lordradish]

I really liked it, it had a great arc to it, in the sense of him trying to get his mojo back, and doing it briefly. He really had a rough start getting out of the gate. I'd recently seen that godawful TV special he did in 1973, so it was funny to see that again.

It did bring home my biggest frustration with him... how inconsistent he was. Some of his more rock-oriented stuff (apart from the peak Wings era) was about as catchy and interesting as watching paint dry - I still think that's the case for a lot of his stuff afterwards, too. I'm glad it ended when it did, as the 80's were even cheesier for him, for the most part.

 

[Hurricane Jimmie]

There’s another film called “sideman“, which also clearly depicts how poorly hired musicians get paid in an a list act.

So Anyway, I've seen a lot of first-call studio and touring musicians with Go Fund Me accounts for their medical bills.
A sad reality of the music biz.

 

[SC Bassboy]

I really enjoyed the doc. My wife even got caught up in it and watched the whole thing with me (we followed it up with the KISS doc, which is also good but that's for a different thread). It's easy to judge people in hindsight, and I imagine we all have time periods and behavior in our past that wouldn't look great on film. Arguably, anyone who has achieved any kind of notoriety has burned people on their way to the top. At worst, Sir Paul could be accused of being out of touch with realistic financial dealings. Plenty of famous people were MUCH worse in their personal dealings.... such that "inventor" Thomas Edison.

 

[mikecd1]

Many great moments and as a lifelong fan I got a kick out of when he says that he didn't mean to treat them (Henry and Denny S) as sidemen. When they didn't show up in Lagos the truth set in. Denny said the retainers were not much. Nada about our local Dave Spinoza who played on Ram. Another interesting moment was in Japan when they go "uh oh" to figure out who was going to take the fall for the weed which of course Paul did which led to the song "Zap Jam" on the McCartney II album. Great footage from "one hand clapping" throughout which is on youtube somewhere and fits in nicely with this doc. Linda truly a first lady of rock and what a mentor she had! Very well done and can't wait to see again - loved that only three min of commercials at beginning then straight through!

 

[pb9717]

So Anyway, I've seen a lot of first-call studio and touring musicians with Go Fund Me accounts for their medical bills.
A sad reality of the music biz.

And a lot of players learn too late. Recently Worked with a guy that was the musical director for a top Motown artist from the 60’s. He made $1200 per, the rest of the band, $800 per. Included flight, hotel & meals. The Artist made between $80K and higher per gig. Would sell out 2000 seaters earning $40 a pop after expenses. Others worked for Ray Charles, Black Crows, Blues Traveler, Suzanne Vega, Gavin DeGraw, Jack McDuff, Enrique Englesias, Steely Dan, Jose Feliciano, Bette Midler, Debbie Harry, and more. All of em living modest existences. Meanwhile I was in a club date band with a guy that got his Jingle in a Panasonic commercial ( the one with a baby tearing around the globe in a training walker) he got fat checks every month that it played. And it was on for like 2 years. From a JINGLE!

So like Paul says in the film in response to the struggling members….” They should write a hit song”. Or “ I don’t really handle that part of the business” Please. Thats the attitude of these A- Listers. They wrote the song, they should get paid.

I don’t know about your experiences but, I Don’t know alot of song writing drummers. I’m sure they’re out there. But telling a drummer or a percussionist “ hey, write a hit song if you wanna earn a living”..? Thats just cold man. Showing how oblivious some folks can be once their bed is well feathered.

 

[J Wilson]

I once worked with a younger person who asked me one day, 'Paul McCartney was in a band before Wings?'

 

[basted]

Years ago I read a story about how he invited the Wings band members over to his place for dinner. After that they stopped off at a takeaway for hamburgers because the meal was quite small. It may have been bs but sounds correct given the other stories.

 

[Root 5]

Yep, I saw the movie last week and enjoyed it as well. I'm also a big PM fan since the 60's, saw him live in '89 and have been in an A/E Beatles band since 2012.

Certainly an interesting review of this period in his career. The film certainly clarified a few points concerning the end of The Beatles, and included some poignant John and Paul moments.

One of the most interesting things (which no doubt led to Wings achieving their peak) was Paul's lack of awareness concerning his fellow musicians. Not judging here at all, but Paul had left the biggest, most famous band in the world and was obviously set financially, but appeared to be oblivious to financial situation of guitarist Henry McCullough and drummer Denny Seiwell (no doubt Denny Laine was likely in better shape financially than the other two.) It was mentioned that these guys were on a limited retainer, so when Paul mentioned later that they were going to be recording in Lagos (Africa,) they both bailed.

It was fascinating that Paul mentioned he had the attitude that this was a band building it's way up as mates like The Beatles, so financial rewards would follow as the band became more successful. As was revealed in the documentary, this contributed directly to the success of the "Band On the Run" album, and eventually to the change in personnel and band peak during the mid-70's.

As I said in another McCartney thread, he is notorious for being extraordinarily cheap.

 

[RicheyLather]

Saw Wings Over America in Ft. Worth. Saw Paul earlier that day while I was at my guitar lesson! Guess he needed some gear. Good ‘ol Arnolad and Morgan music, Garland, TX. Enjoyed Man on the Run. Probably (like a lot of us I’m sure) my favorite bassist.

 

[Michedelic]

He must be treating his band of the last 20 or so years well, they’ve hung in there with him as he’s ramped up his touring.