Paul McCartney annnouces the formation of Wings on August 3, 1971

Paul McCartney annouced the formation of Wings on August 3rd of 1971. The first Wings lineup was McCartney and his wife Linda, drummer Denny Seiwell, and guitarist/songwriter/singer Denny Laine (formerly of the Moody Blues.)

Wings released the following seven studio albums in 1970s:

1971 - Wild Life
1973 - Red Rose Speedway
1973 - Band on the Run
1975 - Venus and Mars
1976 - Wings at the Speed of Sound
1978 - London Town
1979 - Back to the Egg

Wings was disbanded in 1981 as McCartney went back to his solo career that he began in 1970 with his first solo album; the self titled McCartney.

One of Wing's live concert staples was their version of "Maybe I'm Amazed" from that solo debut. In fact it was the live Wings version of this song that was featured on the 1976 Wings live album Wings over America that became a hit single in 1977.

Wings - "Maybe I'm Amazed" - live in 1976:

Paul and Linda McCartney were arrested for drug possession in Sweden on July 22, 1972

Paul and Linda McCartney were arrested for drug possession in Sweden on July 22nd of 1972.

Although often stereotyped as the "cute" Beatle or the "nice" Beatle; Paul McCartney has been arrested multiple times, always for drug related "crimes." Read about Paul McCartney's history with drugs.

Here's a video of a news report about McCartney being busted for growing marijuana on his farm in Scotland in 1973:



Here's McCartney being hounded by reporters after his 1980 marijuana bust in Japan:



In the above video he says marijuana should be decriminalized and that it's less harmful than cigarettes & alcohol (& glue!)

Paul McCartney talks about using LSD on June 19, 1967

On June 19th of 1967 Paul McCartney of the Beatles admitted to using LSD during an interview with Life Magazine. Although McCartney was actually the last member of The Beatles to use LSD he was the first to talk about using LSD in public.

The Beatles music of the time (specifically Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour) seems to be influenced by their use of LSD.

Here's an interview of Paul McCartney talking about LSD:


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Paul McCartney's McCartney II Hits #1 in the UK On May 31, 1980

Paul McCartney's first solo album after Wings final album 1979's Back To The Egg was 1980's McCartney II which included the hit single "Coming Up." Although the version on the album is quite different from the hit single version which was actually a live recording.

The album hit #1 in the UK (on May 31, 1980) and #3 in the US.

McCartney II is like his first solo album 1970's McCartney in that Paul played all of the instruments on the album.

McCartney interview about recording McCartney II:


The studio recorded version of "Coming Up" which appears on McCartney II can be heard here along with the video that was made for the song which features Paul on numerous instruments.

Paul McCartney's solo debut album McCartney goes to #1 on the US charts on May 23, 1970

Paul McCartney's solo debut self titled album McCartney went to #1 on the US charts on May 23, 1970 and stayed there for 3 weeks. In the UK it made it to #2 and was held off the top of the charts by Simon & Garfunkel's smash hit album Bridge Over Troubled Waters.

Among the songs on McCartney was "Maybe I'm Amazed" one of Paul McCartney's most famed solo songs.

"Maybe I'm Amazed"

Wings hits #1 in the US with "Silly Love Songs" on May 22, 1976

Paul McCartney had his 5th US #1 single since leaving the Beatles with "Silly Love Songs" which was his response to music critics (and John Lennon) who claimed McCartney had a penchant for writing "silly love songs."

"Silly Love Songs" was included on the Wings album "Wings at the Speed of Sound" which also featured another #1 single "Let 'Em In."

"Silly Love Songs" went to #2 in the UK.

Video for "Silly Love Songs" -


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Stevie Wonder & Paul McCartney's duet "Ebony & Ivory" went to #1 in the US on May 15, 1982

Stevie Wonder & Paul McCartney collaborated on "Ebony & Ivory" single which went to #1 in both the UK and the US. It reached #1 on the US singles charts on May 15th of 1982 and it stayed there for 7 weeks.

Video for "Ebony & Ivory"


Learn to play piano like Stevie Wonder & Paul McCartney with Piano Lessons Online

Paul McCartney's first US concert performance since The Beatles was on May 3, 1976

On May 3rd of 1976 Paul McCartney made his first concert appearance in America since his days with The Beatles as Wings kicked off their Wings Across America Tour in Fort Worth, Texas. It had been almost 10 years since his last American concert with the Beatles on August 29th of 1966 in San Francisco.

Paul McCartney & Wings - "Band on the Run"

Paul McCartney becomes Sir Paul McCartney on March 11, 1997

10 years ago today, March 11th, former Beatle Paul McCartney became Sir Paul McCartney.

Sir Paul McCartney is arguably the most successful recording artist in history (in fact according to the Guinness Book of World Records he is just that.) which is of course exactly how he became a Knight! He's done a lot of good for the British economy.

Paul's one Knight who has taken LSD, listen to him speak about it. Well really he's speaking more about the reaction to him saying he's taken it than the experience itself which he doesn't get into in this clip. Also the sound is all off from the picture so close your eyes:



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Paul McCartney fined 100 Pounds for growing Cannabis on March 8, 1973

34 years ago today, March 8th, Paul McCartney was fined 100 pounds (about 170 in US dollars) for growing cannabis (aka marijuana) on his farm in Campbeltown, Scotland.

McCartney had been enjoying marijuana for quite some time and says that the McCartney written and sung Beatles classic "Got To Get You Into My Life" is actually about Marijuana.

See McCartney performing "Got To Get You Into My Life" with Wings during a live 1979 concert:



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Hear the Beatles talking about drug use: