Kaisers hail "influential" McCartney

Kaiser Chiefs have argued that Sir Paul McCartney is one of the most 'influential people alive'.

The Leeds rockers performed with McCartney at the Liverpool Sound Concert at Anfield yesterday.

Speaking about their admiration for the former Beatle, bassist Simon Rix said: "I've said this before that I think Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are up there, if not the most influential people who are still alive.

"I don't know who is more influential than those two really, because I think that the influence of The Beatles, the impact that they had on everything at the time, not just music, you know your shoes and clothes and your hair and moustaches, everything, furniture - if The Beatles had never happened then we'd be living in a parallel universe."

McCartney was joined by Foo Fighters singer Dave Grohl during Sunday's gig for renditions of 'Band On The Run' and 'Back In The USSR'.

Audience steals the Anfield Liverpool Sound show

It was Sir Paul McCartney’s big homecoming night – but the crowd was the real star, says Alan Weston

ANFIELD stadium has witnessed many amazing spectacles down the years, but few to compare with this.

On this occasion, however, there wasn’t a football in sight, nor was it a Champions’ League semi-final against Chelsea.

Sir Paul McCartney last played in Liverpool exactly five years ago to the day, on a specially constructed set that was assembled in the car park at Kings Dock.

How times have changed.

The Kings Dock is now home to the brand new Echo Arena, while Sir Paul McCartney last night played to nearly 40,000 people during Liverpool’s year as Capital of Culture.

It was the kind of line-up that would have graced any major rock festival stage in the world – The Zutons, Kaiser Chiefs, and special guest Dave Grohl, of Nirvana and Foo Fighters fame.

Before the gig, Liverpool had been deluged with rainy weather, but the power of rock and roll made sure that the Liverpool Sound concert took place in dry weather, albeit under leaden skies.

Anfield stadium witnessed an amazing transformation from theatre of dreams to a fully fledged rock festival venue, such as Glastonbury, or Reading and Leeds.

Anticipation was running high before the gig, with hundreds of people snaking around the narrow streets of Anfield as they waited patiently to get into the stadium.

The Zutons and the Kaiser Chiefs both did a fantastic job of warming up the crowds as they shivered in the unseasonably cool June weather.

Sir Paul himself took to the stage close to 9.30pm wearing a dapper modern-day version of the famous button-up Beatle suit.

He never once forgot that he was playing before a local crowd, making reference to the fact he was born just down the road from Anfield, at Walton hospital.

He asked members of the crowd if they were from places such as Speke and Garston.

The set itself covered the whole spectrum of his amazing career, from the height of Beatlemania to his most recent solo work.

But the real star of this extraordinary show, as always, was the audience itself.

Although the vast majority were from Liverpool, it was a truly multi-national gathering with people from all over Europe and the far East in the crowd.

Indeed, at one point, Sir Paul even made a greeting in Japanese. Addressing the crowd between numbers, and clearly overcome with emotion, Sir Paul said: “I don’t know what to say. Every time I come up to Liverpool, all the memories come flooding back.”

It was a simple but highly effective stage set, with the word Liverpool spelt out in huge letters at the top and facing the Kop end of Anfield.

At points, the Anfield roar was well in evidence as Sir Paul played songs such as Something on ukulele – as a tribute to George Harrison – and as Dave Grohl took to the stage for rocked-up versions of Band on the Run and Back in the USSR.

As always with any home-coming appearance by Sir Paul McCartney, the adoring crowd did not want to let him go, and he crashed through his scheduled finish time to end with a rousing version of I Saw Her Standing There, with Dave Grohl once again taking to the stage, and finishing off with a spectacular firework display.

Among the thousands of people attending was Alan Roberts, 30, a senior manager at the Liverpool Guild of Students, who said: “It’s great every time Paul McCartney comes to play in Liverpool. He turns up and shows his face in the city, when he could probably make more money doing a gig somewhere else.”

Macca's hometown show

SPEAKING of the gig, Sir Paul said: “When I was asked to do something to celebrate Liverpool being European Capital of Culture 2008, I accepted immediately. It’s a great thing for the city.

“Over the last 10 years or so especially, Liverpool has really come back to its rightful place amongst the cool cities of Britain, so I think it’s the icing on the cake that it got voted Capital of Culture.

“It’s great to be playing Anfield because it’s such an historical ground.

“My dad was actually born in Everton, but I love the Liverpool football team as well, so I say I like them both and let people complain if they want to!

“I just love Liverpudlian audiences because they’re my people. We’ve got so much in common. To them, it’s one of their lads coming to play and, for me, it feels like I’m playing to my mates.

“It’s like family.”

alanweston

Sir Paul McCartney's Liverpool Sound triumph

SIR PAUL McCartney’s stunning Anfield show was today hailed as his best gig ever.

His management team said they had never heard him perform better.

And the fans in the 36,000 sell-out crowd agreed after his emotional two hour homecoming concert set up a spectacular 08 summer.

Sir Paul told the ecstatic crowd that he was in: “The city of culture at the centre of the universe.”

The ECHO's top team was on hand to watch the historic show.

Paul McCartney's Liverpool One show

by Jade Wright

“LIVERPOOL I love you,” said Sir Paul taking to the stage for his triumphant homecoming.

And the feeling was entirely mutual.

The city’s favourite son delivered his gift to his hometown in person, with a spectacular centrepiece concert in its Capital of Culture year.

“In the city of culture at the centre of the universe,” he grinned. “I was born just down the road from here in Walton hospital.”

And Sir Paul certainly pulled out all the stops for the city he holds so dear.

With a set-list reading like a greatest hits from heaven, he powered through everything from Hippy Hippy Shake to The Long and Winding Road.


Along the way he packed in Blackbird, Eleanor Rigby, Penny Lane, Live and Let Die, Let It Be, Hey Jude, Yesterday and Lady Madonna.

It was a performance packed with emotion.

From the quiet, heartfelt dedication of My Love to his adored wife Linda, to the tribute to George with Something – on the ukulele no less – this was a show from the heart.

And his hometown is something that will always mean the world to Sir Paul.

“It’s great for me because every time I come to Liverpool my memories come flooding back,” he said.

“Me and the lads. I remember there was this thing that me and George used to do. JS Bach. He got it right, I got it wrong.” And launched into Blackbird. The crowd sang along to every word.

And Sir Paul clearly felt at home.

“Ok, let’s hear it for Speke,” he laughed. “Let’s hear it for Garston.”

Not forgetting the other acts – before Sir Paul took to the stage there was a taste of Liverpool’s current sound, with The Zutons.

On the eve of the release of their third album, the Merseyside quintet delighted the crowd with Zuton Fever, Why Won’t You Give Me Your Love, and new single Always Right Behind You.

But the biggest cheers came for Valerie. After Amy Winehouse covered it the band went from indie favourites to a global phenomenon.

Add in a warm-up set from Kaiser Chiefs and the mood was all set for Sir Paul. Ruby and I Predict A Riot got the crowd dancing.

Nevertheless, it was Sir Paul’s night.

It’s a rare thing that an act can take you from standing on your feet whooping with joy to close to tears within moments, but then that has always been his gift.

But best of all, this was his gift to us. And it came from the heart.

Macca rocks the Capital of Culture

SIR Paul McCartney rocked Liverpool in a thrilling night for Capital of Culture.

And if Anfield had a roof, Macca would have blown it right off.

The former Beatle played almost 30 songs from across his five-decade career during almost two triumphant hours on stage at last night’s Liverpool Sound.

He told the ecstatic 36,000-strong crowd: “Thank you for coming here to the city of culture, epicentre of the universe.”

Sir Paul was introduced by comedian Peter Kay, whose surprise appearance sparked roars of delight from the stadium.

The Bolton-born comedian joked: “He’s a local lad who’s done very well for himself. He’s played with them all, Stevie Wonder, Rupert the Bear and the Beatles.

“It’s Sir Paul Mildred McCartney.”

Wearing a black ‘Beatles-style’ jacket, trousers and white shirt, Macca appeared on the stage – a 200ft wide platform with Liverpool spelt out in giant letters overhead – and broke into a breakneck speed version of Hippy Hippy Shake.

Each number in turn prompted a mass sing-a-long from the crowd, with Beatles’ hits such as Eleanor Rigby, The Long And Winding Road, Penny Lane, Hey Jude, Lady Madonna, A Day In The Life, and Let It Be making the stadium shake with sound.

The 65-year-old dedicated My Love to late wife Linda, and spoke about his love of his home city, saying: “Every time I come back to Liverpool all the memories come flooding back.”

Many of his family were in the crowd, along with Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison, Sir George Martin and Sgt Pepper cover artist Sir Peter Blake.

Among others at the sell-out gig were Wayne Rooney and Coleen McLoughlin, Rafa Benitez, Mel C, Kenny Dalglish, former BBC boss John Birt, Claire Sweeney, and senior cabinet ministers.

Macca’s cousin Kate Robbins said: “We sent a message to Paul this morning saying how much the family were all looking forward to the concert and he said Liverpool was buzzing.”

The ex-Beatle was joined by Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl for rip-roaring versions of Band On The Run and Back In The USSR.

Macca’s Wings days were also marked with favourites Jet, and James Bond theme Live And Let Die – complete with stage-front pyrotechnics.

He also played John Lennon’s Give Peace a Chance in front of a CND symbol.

Liverpool favourites the Zutons opened the four-and-a-half hour spectacular with a set which included crowd favourites such as You Will, You Won’t, Valerie – which lead singer Dave McCabe joked was “an Amy Winehouse cover”, and their new single Always Right Behind You.

They were followed by Leeds indie rockers The Kaiser Chiefs who also drew huge roars of appreciation for hits including Ruby, Every Day I Love You Less And Less, and I Predict A Riot.

The evening ended with a giant firework display over the stadium.

Macca told the crowd: “People have come from all over the world to come to Liverpool tonight and thank-you to all the Liverpudlians that have shown up.

“You’ve been brilliant.”

Fans flocked to Anfield

by Michelle Fiddler

MUSIC fans from across the world flocked to Anfield last night to see the four-and-a-half hour Liverpool Sound concert.

Lisbeth Jensen Verpe and her 14 year-old daughter Eve Victoria, travelled from Oslo, Norway, for the concert.

Lisbeth said: “We came to Liverpool because Eve was playing violin at the cathedral. But we heard about the concert and wanted to come.

“It has been a fantastic night. We have never been to Liverpool before but we would come again.”

Sisters Rachel, 31 and Elizabeth White, 29, from Crosby, said: “We had a fantastic night. We did not know what to expect but Paul McCartney put on a really good show.

“We heard him say beforehand that he had a real treat for us and he certainly did.

“The Kaiser Chiefs and the Zutons were great as well.”

Dean Jones, 30, from Maghull and Emma Thompson, 35, from Kirkby, said: “It was fantastic. I just wish it could have gone on for longer.

“Everything was great from start to finish including the organisation.

“Paul McCartney has done Liverpool proud. We definitely had our money’s worth.”

Lynn Berry, 46 and Dan Davies, 52, from Anfield, said: “It was brilliant. We were up singing and dancing all night.”

Theresa Molloy, 60, from Tuebrook, said: “It was marvellous. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

“I used to go to the Cavern so I am an old fan of Paul McCartney.

“It was great to see a band like the Zutons, one of our own, starting the concert.”

There were some complaints about queuing for last night’s concert.

One person said: “They only had one entry point to the ground and the queue to get in went on for ages.

“It took everyone around the back streets of Anfield which does not give a great impression to people from outside the city.”

Fan's 7,000 mile trek to see Paul

ONE dedicated fan spent 48 hours travelling 7,000 miles to make it to Macca’s concert last night.

Milenka Reyes-Baquedano, 18, was fulfilling a lifetime’s dream of seeing her hero perform in his home town.

Her trip was made possible by the Make a Wish Foundation which grants wishes to children and young people battling life-threatening illnesses.

Milenka, from Chile, has Von Hippel-Lindau disease which is a rare inherited genetic condition.

Vin O’Brien, whose day job is in the PR department of Liverpool FC, helped arrange the trip.

There were a few surprises for Milenka including a guided tour of John Lennon’s childhood home by his widow Yoko Ono.

5 minutes with... Sir Paul McCartney

It must be great going back to Liverpool to play a big gig like this? Yeah, it is. It’s always nice, I love going back to Liverpool, and to play a big gig like this is something special.

How does it feel to be part of the celebrations? It’s great. All of us interested in Liverpool were part of trying to make it the Capital Of Culture, it was like an Olympic bid.

As an Everton fan, what’s it going to be like playing at Liverpool’s ground, Anfield? Ha ha! I haven’t been to Anfield before. It’s that thing isn’t it, you’re supposed to be Manchester United or City, Rangers or Celtic, you know, one or the other, but I just gave up on that idea years ago. I’m officially Everton, my dad was born in Everton, but the Liverpool team came to one of my concerts at Wembley Arena once, led by Kenny Dalglish. He brought the whole team, so that gave me enough of a reason to be able to support them openly. I love both teams, but if it comes to the crunch I’d have to be on Everton’s side.

What do you know about the other bands that are on? Kaiser Chiefs and The Zutons? I know the Kaisers quite well. Over the last couple of years I’ve done a couple of things they’ve been on. They interviewed me once for the NME, too. I don’t know The Zutons personally, but I like their music, they’re one of the good Liverpool bands.

What sort of set are you planning for today’s concert? It’s always a difficult one that, because it’s just my set, it’s just what I’m doing at the moment, but with some new surprises put in especially for Liverpool. We’re working on a few things we don’t normally do, especially for Liverpool. Which are surprises, so don’t ask me about them!

Going back to your childhood in Liverpool, what was that like? What are your memories from before The Beatles formed? Was it a hard place? It was always a little rough. My memories would be getting confronted by a gang bigger than our gang, and thinking “Oh no”, so there was all that, to fight or not to fight. My family were a big part of it too. When I was growing up a lot of things were to do with the family. You didn’t have guests so much as uncles and aunties and cousins coming to stay. Our family was good like that, we were always getting on buses and going places.

When things really took off with The Beatles, did going back to Liverpool feel like a safe haven? We always felt like that, it was home. None of us lived in London till a bit later on. After gigs down in London we’d go back up to Liverpool, often in blizzards, stuck in our little Bedford van, and we were going home. There was always that feeling we could go home, regroup, get our feet back on the ground, and then make another expedition into the big world beyond. It was always nice to go home there, and I’d go and tell my dad and brother what I’d been up to, what I’d been doing. It was lovely, and it’s nice to be going back there now, it’s another homecoming for me.

n Sir Paul headlines the Liverpool Sound concert at Anfield stadium today. Highlights will be broadcast on BBC Radio Two tonight

New Tickets Available For Liverpool 08

A new batch of standing tickets for the Liverpool Sound Concert have just been released.Paul headlines the Anfield show on June 1st, supported by the Kaiser Chiefs. Further names are to be announced in the coming weeks, including a very special international superstar guest.

Click here to purchase tickets.

An initial 27,500 tickets for The Liverpool Sound were sold via a special ballot launched in September 2007. The new tickets mean that the total capacity for the concert – the last to be held at Liverpool FC’s iconic Anfield ground before the club moves to nearby Stanley Park – is nearly 36,000.

For the latest news from Liverpool, European Capital of Culture 2008, visit www.liverpool.gov.uk or www.liverpool08.com.

I read the news today, OH BOY! Free Macca CD!

Sir Paul McCartney is to give away his latest album, ‘Memory Almost Full’, with editions of the Mail on Sunday, it’s been announced.

The former Beatle’s album, which was originally released on Starbucks’ Hear Music label last year, will come free with the May 18th edition of the newspaper.

McCartney is the latest big name artist to complete a deal with the paper, who last year gave away Prince’s ‘Planet Earth’ for free.

More recently, UB40 gave fans with a ten track sampler of their new album ‘Twentyfourseven’ as one of the paper's supplements.

When it was released last year, McCartney’s album charted at number five in the UK, selling over 100,000 copies, reports Music Week.

Paul Announces Kiev Date

Paul McCartney Announces Free Historic Concert
‘Independence Concert’
Kiev Independence Square, Ukraine – Saturday 14th June 2008

On Saturday 14th June 2008, at the invitation of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, Paul McCartney will perform to hundreds of thousands of people in Independence Square, Kiev, Ukraine. This groundbreaking event has been named Independence Concert and was launched today in Kiev by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation. Paul’s special show will be free to attend and will be broadcasted live on Novy TV.

This exciting event will be seen as symbolic for several generations of Ukrainians. It will allow people of different ethnicities and religions, political preferences and geopolitical orientations to come together around the ideas of peace, love and unity; the very ideas that Paul McCartney with The Beatles helped bring into the World. Independence Concert is an independent social initiative that aims to strengthen the confidence and understanding in the Ukrainian society.

The ideology and spirit of The Beatles helped build the democratic aspirations for much of the soviet society and eventually led to the peaceful collapse of the USSR and independence of the former Soviet republics.

Independence Concert appeals to the ideals that helped 30 years ago to melt down the ice of the ‘cold war’ in the hearts of millions and changed the world into a better place. Today the ideology that forms the core of Ukrainian independence is shared with Paul McCartney’s own ideology. Independence Concert serves to promote happiness, freedom, love and peace not only in the Ukraine but also to the entire World.

It is planned that this historic concert will be broadcast live on screens in cities across the Ukraine for those who can’t make it to Kiev.

Paul McCartney said:

"I’m very excited because on the 14th of June I've been invited to play a concert in Independence Square, Kiev. Me and the band are going to be there and we’re going to have to a great evening and we hope to see you there. So come along, it’s going to be great evening hopefully for the Ukraine. Pull together, groove, rock and roll – all together"

Victor Pinchuk, Ukrainian businessman and philanthropist and founder of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation said:

“One could not imagine this 30 years ago. Nobody could even dare to hope for this 20 years ago. One could only dream about it 10 years ago. 5 years ago we could only envy our neighbours for whom this became a reality. And finally the day has come. For the first time we have the opportunity to hear the songs that changed the world and created a new culture. The songs that we grew up with and became who we are.

These songs tell us about very simple but nevertheless important things: real love can’t be bought and that real friendship can’t be sold. There is much more to what unites people than what divides them, and in reality it’s not an impossible task to become a better person and to make the world a better place, especially if you do it all together.

Recently, we had not so many reasons to unite. Not to group under some political flags but to really gather all together. There are not so many ways to bring together the East and the West, to make the young and the mature closer, to combine different convictions and aspirations into one common national idea of building a free, tolerant and prosperous country. And I believe that this initiative and the concert can help us"

In addition to the concert the Victor Pinchuk Foundation will also be exhibiting 40 of Paul's paintings at the Pinchuk Art Centre, the largest in Eastern Europe. This will be Paul’s first exhibition in this part of the world. His first art exhibition was in Siegen, Germany in 1999. Paul will personally open the exhibition.

Mills Awarded $48.6M From McCartney

Mills Awarded $48.6M From McCartney


LONDON (AP) — A judge awarded Heather Mills a total of $48.6 million Monday in the financial settlement of her divorce from former Beatle Paul McCartney.

A document released by the Family Court said the judge awarded Mills a lump sum of $33 million plus the assets she currently holds worth $15.6 million.

"I'm so, so happy with this," Mills told reporters following the closed hearing.

The court also ruled that the couple's 4-year-old daughter Beatrice should receive a "periodical payments order" of $70,000 per annum. On top of that, McCartney will pay for the child's nanny and school fees.

Mills had sought almost $250 million, while McCartney had said she should receive $31.6 million, including her own assets, which the court assessed at $15.6 million.

Judge Hugh Bennett found that the total value of all of McCartney's assets, including his business assets, was about $800 million. He said there was no evidence to support the widely published figure that was more than twice as much.

McCartney left the court without making any statement.

"I'm so glad it's over," Mills said at her impromptu news conference.

"It was an incredible result in the end to secure mine and my daughter's future and that of all the charities that I obviously plan on helping and making a difference with — because you know it has been my life for 20 years," she said.

"Obviously the court do not want a litigant in person to do well, it's against everything that they ever wish, so when they write the judgment up they're never going to make it look in favor.

"But all of you that have researched know that it was always going to be a figure between 20 and 30 million (pounds), Paul was offering a lot less than that, which you'll see in the judgment, and very much last minute to put me and Beatrice sadly through this ... incredibly sad."

Paul McCartney ‘to go on tour again’

Sir Paul McCartney is set to go on a world tour in a bid to put his bitter divorce from Heather Mills behind him, it has been revealed.

The former Beatle has reportedly told friends that he wants to get back on the road.

If Paul, 65, did decide to embark on a world tour, the potential earnings would almost certainly help him recoup the $48.6m settlement that was awarded to Heather on Monday.

A source said “He has kept a low profile for the last two years. Now he just wants to get out there again. That is what he does best.

“He is receiving offers on a weekly basis from promoters all over the world. When he tours, he breaks box office and merchandising records. He’s such a big draw.

“He will be 66 in June but is in remarkably good shape and will have no trouble withstanding the rigors of traveling the world performing.”

The singer netted around $55m from touring between 2002 and 2006, according to evidence he submitted during the six-day High Court hearing last month.

New Macca Book?

Sir Paul McCartney's life will apparently be examined in detail in a new biography.

British author Howard Sounes is reportedly in advanced talks with HarperCollins' non-fiction department to the UK rights of the book.





It will give the Beatles legend's life "the epic treatment" according to The Independent.

Details of Sir Paul's divorce from Heather Mills were released in full on Tuesday and Sounes' new biography, to be released in late 2010, would examine the singer's life right up until the end of the bitter court battle.

Any book deal would reportedly to be a "substantial investment".

Sounes' agent, Gordon Wise of Curtis Brown said: "Howard will be putting everything into context. Usually McCartney's story in books ends in the 1970s when he formed Wings. This will be a wide sweep of his career and show how he's an amazing artist.

"John Lennon has been given the epic treatment several times over but no one has talked about Sir Paul in that way."

Sounes - who wrote 2001's acclaimed biography Down the Highway: The Life Of Bob Dylan and Fred And Rose, the macabre book about he life of serial-killers Fred and Rosemary West - has apparently promised not to rake up the sordid details of Sir Paul's four-year marriage to Heather Mills.

Wise added: "Sounes will approach this with an independent eye, but it will not be a muck-raking biography."

But a spokeswoman for HarperCollins said: "The agent has rather jumped the gun. We are in discussion but we still haven't bought it."

Paul is working on a new album

Fresh from his headlining appearance at the Brits on Wednesday and last year’s well received ‘Memory almost Full’, the former Beatle has just started recording material for a new release this year.

His spokesperson says, “Paul started recording last week, but he has been writing for a while. It should be ready by the summer."

And McCartney has chosen a surprising collaborator for the project – he’s working with producer Youth at his studio in Icklesham, East Sussex, who is more noted for his work on more upbeat fare.

Maccaspan Forum Registration

The registration error that some of you were getting has been fixed now.

Forum nuked?

Well, it seems the forum has crashed... AGAIN.

I tried everything I could do on my end with no such luck. I restored all the backup files, but it didn't seem to work. So I tried to install a new forum and I got the same error, could not connect to the database. So now I have
to wonder if it's a problem with the server, either PHPBB or Yahoo Geocities.

I have emailed them wondering what the heck is going on. As soon as I know, I'll tell you.

In the meantime, you can post at our TEMP forum. You may need to re-register if you can't remember your old account or don't have one yet. BUT I MUST WARN YOU, the TEMP
site is REALLY slow at times.

http://www.forumforfree.com/index.php?mforum=maccaspan

Paul's New Years Message

Hi everybody,

Happy New Year!

I hope it’s a great one for all of us.

There’s been a lot of stuff in the newspapers over the past few months and as most of it is completely inaccurate, I have not bothered to deny any of it.

There is one report though, that is causing concern amongst many friends of mine which was a recent report about a heart operation that I was supposed to have had.

People are ringing and texting me saying “are you ok?” and I hadn’t seen the report so I was puzzled by so many enquiries about my health. So I think it’s a good time to put this rumour to rest. What happened was, over a year ago during a routine medical examination, there was a minor irregularity which I needed to have tests for and which I have now been assured is completely fine. The media have only just recently reported an exaggerated version of this and that is why people have been asking me if I am ok. So this is where the story has come from. The media reports have, as usual, completely distorted the story, calling it an angioplasty, which is entirely untrue, and this is why so many friends have been concerned about my health.

I’m happy to say that I feel great and I have passed my most recent medical with flying colours.

I would like to thank all of you and my friends and relatives for your concern and I’m very happy to put your minds at rest, although I have secretly been enjoying all the sympathy I’ve been getting!

Once again, happy new year and remember…don’t believe everything you read in the media.

I look forward to a rocking 2008!

Love,

Paul

Sir Paul to exhibit Linda's photos

Sir Paul McCartney is to stage an exhibition of photographs by his late wife Linda.
The former Beatle has spent the past three years putting together the show, which will mark the 10th anniversary of her death.

It includes images of stars such as Jim Morrison and John Lennon, and intimate portraits of McCartney family life.

This is the first major exhibition of Linda's photographs to be staged in the UK, and spans her career from the 1960s to shortly before her death in April 1998.

The couple's photographer daughter Mary has also helped to curate the exhibition, which will open at the James Hyman Gallery in London's Savile Row on April 24

Sir Paul said: "An exhibition presenting the range of Linda's photographic work is long overdue, so I'm obviously pleased that this show is happening. James Hyman, my daughter Mary and I have workedon it now for three years, and the result is a sensitive selection of works that really demonstrates Linda's prodigious output as a photographer.

"The photographs not only illustrate her incredible talent as an artist, but as someone who was very much connected to the culture of the times and wasn't afraid to challenge herself or her subject."

Linda started out as a rock photographer and her subjects included John Lennon, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel and Sir Mick Jagger. The exhibition will also feature landscapes, self-portraits and family snaps. Some have rarely been seen before in public.

The photographs will be offered for sale in very limited editions, authenticated with a certificate signed by Sir Paul. The exhibiton will run at the James Hyman Gallery from April 24 to June 7.

McCARTNEY WRITES SONG ABOUT MILLS

SIR PAUL McCARTNEY has written a song about his ongoing divorce battle with HEATHER MILLS.
The Beatles legend has consistently refused to comment about the former couple's current legal wranglings but is now set to reveal his true feelings about his estranged wife in a collaboration with a British musician.
McCartney, 65, has teamed up with Nitin Sawhney for a track on his forthcoming album London Undersound which is due for release later this year (08).
And Sawhney insists the song will be a shock to McCartney's fans.
He says, "Paul has done a track about how he feels about Heather and what was going on with the paparazzi because no one has heard his side of it at all - so this will be the first time anyone hears a song relating to that subject. It's very emotional and a very powerful song - not like anything that people are used to Paul McCartney doing." Mills and McCartney - who split in May 2006 - are due to appear in court to continue negotiations over their divorce settlement in February (08).

Paul McCartney becomes grandfather for fifth time

Stella McCartney has given birth to her third child.

The 36-year-old fashion designer - daughter of Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney - gave birth to a son, who she has named Beckett Robert Lee, in a London hospital on Tuesday morning (08.01.08).

A spokesman for Stella said: "Both mother and baby are doing well."

The designer already has two children with her publisher husband Alasdhair Willis - two-year-old Miller Alasdhair James and one-year-old Bailey Linda Olwyn.

Stella worked throughout her pregnancy, hosting a star-studded Christmas party to turn on the spectacular lights at her flagship London store last month.

The designer plans to be working again within a few weeks and will debut her autumn/winter collection for 2008/2009 in Paris next month. Paul also has two other grandchildren from his eldest daughter Mary, eight-year-old Arthur and five-year-old Elliot.

Macca & Ozzy duet at the Brits

OZZY OSBOURNE is to fulfil a lifelong dream at the Brit Awards — by performing with his hero SIR PAUL McCARTNEY.

Brits bosses are thrashing out the final details for The Prince Of Darkness to join Macca for an explosive finale.

Aptly for Ozzy, after his well documented booze and drugs battles, they will perform Paul’s classic Bond theme Live And Let Die. And if it does come off it will all be down to Ozzy’s wife SHARON.

The X Factor judge has used her influence — and the couple’s gig as awards hosts — to set up the once in a lifetime opportunity for her hubby.

She said: “They go together really well. It will be amazing.”

Sir Paul will also be presented with an Outstanding Contribution To Music gong at the bash, being held at London’s Earls Court on February 20.

A show source reckons the performance will go down as one the most memorable in its history.

He told me: “Sharon is a very determined woman and wants it to be the best Brits ever. She’s been in touch with lots of the legendary music business names she knows personally.

“It was her idea for a duet between Ozzy and Sir Paul. If it happens, it will be unmissable.”

The Brits is renowned for its duets. The most memorable in recent times came in 2003 when JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE sang with KYLIE, grabbing the pint-sized Aussie’s rear during the performance.

But king of the duets is JAMIROQUAI star JAY KAY. In 1997 he teamed up with soul legend DIANA ROSS to perform her hit Upside Down. And in 2005 he did DONNA SUMMER’s Bad Girls with ANASTACIA.



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Ozzy is a self-confessed mop-top fan and has long been a champion of Paul’s. He has said: “McCartney’s a genius. THE BEATLES were the greatest band ever.

“The only problem I have with him is even God has a p***ed off day.

“No one can be that happy all the time. Even Mr Happy gets a sore ass sometimes.”

Ozzy voted Paul’s latest album Memory Almost Full as his favourite of 2007 in a web survey.

And he’s even admitted having rather sinister fantasies about the Scouser. He said: “I used to dream, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if Paul McCartney married my sister?’. My bedroom wall was covered in pictures of him.”

If Sharon gets her way, there will be plenty more photos for Ozzy to hang up.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MACCASPAN!!!

Enjoy your holiday's, don't drink and drive. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Paul McCartney's Plea To Save The Planet

Paul McCartney has followed in the footsteps of his estranged wife Heather Mills by urging the world to go vegetarian. The Beatles legend has launched a campaign to eradicate meat-eaters through British newspaper the Sunday Times.

McCartney cited a United Nations report which claimed the biggest things any individual can do for the plant is to become a vegetarian. He says, "What's compelling is this report should now encourage everyone to do their bit."

Last month, Mills urged U.K residents to drink rat's milk after claiming 80 per cent of global warming comes from livestock.