Band one the Run

Band one the Run is an album of Paul McCartney published in 1973, considered as one of its best achievements.

Genesis of the album

At the end of July 1973, Paul McCartney, Denny Teases and Henry McCullough works five weeks lasting with new compositions in the studio of the Scottish farm of Campbelltown. But this group of the Wings, which had required such an amount of energy of Paul, on which it hoped to return in the foreground, and with which it had just succeeded at the same time in the appreciated concerts and successes to the hit-parades will dislocate itself in a few days:

During the repetitions of August, the tension between Paul and McCullough had increased, Henry accepting less and less that its lines of guitar are imposed to him. Arrive the moment when nobody any more wishes compromise. After an argument, McCullough snap the door, and telephones a few days later to announce that it leaves Wings.
the day before departure for Lagos, it is with the turn of the beater Denny Seiwell to throw sponge. Wings is reduced from now on to a trio: Paul, Linda and Denny Tease.

But McCartney therefore is not disabled: he gets along well with Denny which, let us recall it, plays of many instruments, and to hold the battery always rained to him. The things do not improve once not arrived on the spot. What was to resemble studious holidays turns to the course of the combatant, even with the nightmare. All seems to league against the trio: the studio appears much hospital than envisaged, would be this only because of the many cockroaches which had invaded it continuations of pouring rain. During a session, McCartney suddenly feels to choke and collapses on the console of mixing, unconscious. Linda, thrown into a panic, fears an heart attack. A doctor called urgently diagnoses finally a spasm bronchitic, consequence of an abuse the tobacco…

One evening, Paul and Linda walk in the streets of Lagos when a car stops close to them. Five men with the mine patibulaire leave there, obviously to attack them and the détrousser. Linda finds the presence of mind to shout “do not kill us! ” then to try to play on the celebrity of her companion: “We are musicians! It is Paul, Beatle! ” while one of the attackers the threat of a dagger… After dispossesshaving dispossessed them of all the valuable articles which they transported - camera, jewels, species - they disappear without asking their remainder, leaving the shocked couple. The Police force hardly reassured them, estimating that, normally, they should have been cut the throat of on the spot, and that they owed their safety only with their skin color, attackers considering that the white were unable to give the description of black men, supposed “all to resemble”… Even artistically, Paul, Linda and Denny must undergo the reproaches of a local artist, Fela Ransome-Kuti, persuaded which they come “to steal” the local music, and enjoignant them without care “to turn over from where they came”.

The cover and the packing of the album

Band One The Run leaves at the beginning of December 1973: it is the second 33 turns of McCartney in six months. The small pocket gave place to a careful setting in scene symbolizing “the orchestra in escape” of the title. Surprised by the beam of a projector, nine characters in costumes of prisoners find themselves driven back “back with the wall”. One recognizes, from left to right: Michael Parkinson, a journalist of television, Kenny Lynch, singer and actor, Paul McCartney, James Coburn, celebrates American actor of passage to London for a turning, Linda McCartney, Clement Freud, critical gastronomical and future politician, Christopher Lee, another well-known actor, Denny Laine and John Conteh, boxer liverpuldien who will become world champion in October 1974. The stereotype is of Clive Arrowsmith. The amateur will get with happiness the box of two CD published for the 25 years birthday of the album, at the beginning of 1999, which include/understand a detailed booklet, a disc of new versions and the reproduction of the original poster. On second CD, one can hear testimonys of the protagonists of the photography of small pocket, as well as versions of the songs of the album recorded at the time of repetitions for the concerts of 1989 and 1993.

If Band one the Run, contrary to Red Pink Speedway, does not adopt the format of the album strictly speaking , it does not contain of it less one poster of polaroids taken by Linda which testify with naturalness to work to the three musicians. One sees Paul thus there playing of the battery, low, several electric guitars and organ, while Denny Laine allocates part of flute. The disc vinyl was of course protected by a hard-bound small pocket on which the words of the songs were printed, very appreciated detail of the not-english-speaking! The disc is again signed “Paul McCartney and Wings”, very discreetly, since the mention appears only on the section of the small pocket and a small label photographed with the back.

Beaches of the album

The two faces of the album vinyl 33 turns comprised the following titles:

Face 1

Band One The Run
Jet
Bluebird
Mrs Vandebilt
Let Me Roll It

Face 2

Mamunia
No Words (For My Love)
American pressing included between these two titles individual Helen Wheels
Picasso' S Last Words (To Drink Me)
Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five

Among the songs, one finds " Let me roll it" , response of McCartney to Lennon which openly attacked it in its song " How C you C it". As for " Picasso' S last words" , McCartney composed it following a discussion which it had with the actor Dustin Hoffman. This last told him that painter celebrates it would have left, during its last meal, its guests to go to rest in their saying: " Drink to me, drink to my health, you know I can' T drink anymore" . He would have died during his sleep.

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