Paul and Heather Mills news

PAUL McCARTNEY TRIES TO PUT FANS AT EASE IN PUBLIC SITUATIONS

Paul McCartney told Billboard that after nearly 50 years in the business, he knows how to put fans at ease when they are surprised to see him out in public doing normal, every day things -- like going out for a newspaper. McCartney, who will release his new album, Chaos And Creation In The Backyard, on September 13th, and begin a U.S. tour on September 16th in Miami, says, "I am very aware of (people noticing me). I do a sort of Liverpool thing, which is (jokingly saying), 'Look here, I don't want any trouble off you,' or whatever. I'll be in their face, and they'll go, 'Oh, he's just ordinary,' and we soon get at ease."

McCartney added, "It comes in handy in situations like that. People always expect you to be riding around in stretch limousines all the time, but I will sometimes take public transportation if it's convenient, and it does surprise people, you see the heads turn."

He went on to recall a recent fan encounter: "I was in New York and I needed to get uptown, so I took one of the uptown buses. This lady said, 'Hey, are you Paul McCartney?,' and started getting quite loud. I said, 'If you're going to talk to me, come over here, sit by me.'"

McCartney added that, "So she did, and I heard her entire history, how she was going to visit her sister and all this stuff."

McCartney, who recently took a break in tour rehearsals by spending a few weeks at his house in East Hampton, Long Island, told us that he still gets excited before hitting the road: "I just like doing it, and whenever I go out on tour it's exciting to stick a few things in that I haven't done before, just 'cause then it's sort of like...There's sort of a nervous edge to it, which is quite cool."

McCartney's upcoming tour will be mixing songs from the new Chaos And Creation In The Backyard CD with his '70s Wings hits, such as "Band On The Run" and "Live And Let Die," along with Beatles favorites, such as "We Can Work It Out," "I Saw Her Standing There," "Let It Be," "Lady Madonna" and "Hey Jude."

While on the road last summer in Europe, McCartney premiered several Beatles tunes that he's never performed live including -- "You Won't See Me," "I'll Follow The Sun," "Helter Skelter," and "I've Got A Feeling," which was the last song he ever wrote with John Lennon, the group's Let It Be album.

August 31, 2005 -- Contact Music

McCARTNEY STARSTRUCK AND TONGUE-TIED BY EVERLY

Rock legend Sir Paul McCartney may be one of the most famous men in the world, but he was painfully starstruck when he met childhood musical idol Phil Everly.

Both McCartney and late Beatles bandmate John Lennon grew up listening to the Everly Brothers and together impersonated brothers Phil and Don.

McCartney says, "He was such a figure from my youth that I went all daft and said, 'Er, I used to be you... John was Don'... and all the most stupid things. He got very embarrassed.

The Spanish edition of Rolling Stone has named "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" the LP of the month, over the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton's albums.

"Paul McCartney Saved My Life!"

'Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now I need a place to hide away.'

It is 7.15 pm on May 27th, 2003. My wife and I join the queue outside the RDS in Dublin for Paul McCartney's 'Back In The World' concert.
Inside the stadium, Paul McCartney is finishing his warm-up: 'You Never Give Me Your Money', 'Carry That Weight' , and 'Lady Madonna'.

In front of us is a gaunt, leather-skinned man in his late fifties wearing a Paul McCartney t-shirt. He is casting his eyes around, looking for someone to talk to. He has obviously been drinking, but is not drunk. At first I try to avoid his gaze, but since he appears harmless enough I decide to engage him in conversation.

"It'll not be long now," I say tentatively as the queue shuffles forward another step or two.

He nods his head. "I've been looking forward to this night for the last forty years," he sighs. "That man in there is my hero. Don't get me wrong, I loved the other three - George, Ringo and John - but it was always McCartney for me. My wife is a John Lennon fan. She refused to come here tonight. My son has no interest in the Beatles. So I had to come here on my own.

I've been a Beatles fan all my life, but McCartney is the man. Paul McCartney saved my life. I owe it all to him."

"How is that?" I ask.

"My father was an alcoholic," he frowned. "A violent man. I spent my teenage years hidden away in my bedroom listening to The Beatles. Listening to Paul McCartney. His music transported me to another world far away from the misery of my home. It gave me comfort. Gave me something to believe in. Made my life more exciting."

Pointing to Macca's image on his t-shirt, he continued: "And I owe it all to that man there. I've been looking forward to this day all my life. And my wife wouldn't come with me and my son has no interest. But this'll be the best night of my life - just to see Macca and hear him singing in the flesh."

"You'll shed a few tears?" I suggest.

"Oh I'll cry all right as the memories flood back and I think of all the times that man lifted me out of my depression with his music."

An hour later Paul McCartney begins singing:

"Me used to be angry young man
Me hiding my head in the sand
You gave me the word
I finally heard
I'm doing the best that I can.
I admit it's getting better
It's a little better all the time ..."

I smile as I think of how the man on the stage saved the life of the man in the crowd; and suddenly 'Back In The World' seems even more appropriate than at first glance.

http://www.assignmentsplus.com/paul-mccartney.html

In AOL's Battle Of The Bands game, DEF LEPPARD have now made it to the next round after defeating MOTLEY CRUE (53% for Def Leppard, 47% for the Crue).

In round 6, the band is competing against PAUL McCARTNEY, and currently have the most votes.

To make sure Def Leppard stays ahead, go over to the voting page and cast your vote http://music.aol.com/feature/summer_music_2005_main/battle_classic_round_6

September 1, 2005 -- RockRadio Online

McCartney still finds touring exciting

Paul McCartney told Billboard that after nearly 50 years in the business, he knows how to put fans at ease when they are surprised to see him out in public doing normal, every day things -- like going out for a newspaper. McCartney, who will release his new album, Chaos And Creation In The Backyard, on September 13th, and begin a U.S. tour on September 16th in Miami, says, "I am very aware of (people noticing me). I do a sort of Liverpool thing, which is (jokingly saying), 'Look here, I don't want any trouble off you,' or whatever. I'll be in their face, and they'll go, 'Oh, he's just ordinary,' and we soon get at ease."

McCartney added, "It comes in handy in situations like that. People always expect you to be riding around in stretch limousines all the time, but I will sometimes take public transportation if it's convenient, and it does surprise people, you see the heads turn."

He went on to recall a recent fan encounter: "I was in New York and I needed to get uptown, so I took one of the uptown buses. This lady said, 'Hey, are you Paul McCartney?,' and started getting quite loud. I said, 'If you're going to talk to me, come over here, sit by me.'" He added that, "So she did, and I heard her entire history, how she was going to visit her sister and all this stuff."

McCartney, who recently took a break in tour rehearsals by spending a few weeks at his house in East Hampton, Long Island, told us that he still gets excited before hitting the road: "I just like doing it, and whenever I go out on tour it's exciting to stick a few things in that I haven't done before, just 'cause then it's sort of like...There's sort of a nervous edge to it, which is quite cool."

His upcoming tour will be mixing songs from the new Chaos And Creation In The Backyard CD with his '70s Wings hits, such as "Band On The Run" and "Live And Let Die," along with Beatles favorites, such as "We Can Work It Out," "I Saw Her Standing There," "Let It Be," "Lady Madonna" and "Hey Jude."

While on the road last summer in Europe, McCartney premiered several Beatles tunes that he's never performed live including -- "You Won't See Me," "I'll Follow The Sun," "Helter Skelter," and "I've Got A Feeling," which was the last song he ever wrote with John Lennon, the group's Let It Be album.

Paul McCartney Treats Fans To A 'Live' Broadcast
9/2/2005

Sir Paul McCartney is giving 600 fans the chance to watch a “live” promotion of three tracks on his album.

The Beatles legend will perform songs from his forthcoming LP ‘Chaos and Creation in the Backyard’ in Miami on September 15, footage of which will then be beamed direct to London’s HMV on Oxford Street.

Fans can gain entry to the event by pre-ordering their album through HMV where they will be automatically entered into a draw to win one of 300 pairs of tickets.

Macca will then hand pick two people to travel on an all-expenses trip to New York to see him perform live.

http://gigwise.com/news.asp?contentid=8300

September 4, 2005 -- Daily News

New York Minute

Spotted in East Hampton: "An overzealous fan squealed, 'Oh my God, Paul McCartney!' when she saw the former Beatle and his wife, Heather Mills McCartney, strolling down the street. He looked at the fan with a smile, put his finger to his lips and said, 'Shhh!'" ...

Life Style Extra

Heather Mills comforts 7/7 bomb victims

Heather Mills-McCartney has been visiting traumatized victims who lost limbs in the 7/7 terror bomb blasts offering advice, comfort and inspiration.

Macca's wife, who herself lost part of her left leg when she was mowed down by a police motorcycle in 1993, has been counselling both the victims and their families giving them her personal mobile phone number so that they may contact her any time of the day or night for support.

Thirty-seven year-old Heather's aim was to give the victims hope that there is life after an amputation and urged them to become role models for others in their position during her low key visits, her spokeswoman Anya Noakes said.

Noakes said: "She has made a number of private visits. I believe she has been in contact with about five victims of the bombings and their families.

"It happens often, where there are a large number of casualties, that people will contact her for her support and advice.

"Sometimes it is the hospitals that will make contact with her knowing she offers her advice and experience to help people after such a tragedy.

"She has been counselling both the patients who have had amputations and their families.

"She has been speaking to them on the phone whenever they need to talk and offering them advice.

"She will give the amputee and their family her mobile phone number so that they can contact her any time when they need support."

She added: "She wants to encourage patients and make them feel that there is a future after an amputation, that there is life after amputation.

"She knows that it is also the families that need support."

Heather, who is patron of the Adopt A Minefield charity, has made a career out of voluntarily counselling people from around the globe who have lost limbs in accidents, through illness, natural disasters and terrorist atrocities.

On her website she said she lets amputees know personally, in daily correspondence, that they can make a difference.

Noakes added: "This is just something she has always done since she lost her leg 12 years ago."

Noakes, who has been a personal friend of Heather for eight years said she was "amazed" at her friend's ability to spread happiness adding: "I am amazed in particular in her endless support of people who have lost limbs through illness, accident, natural disaster or a terrible terrorist atrocity.

"Again and again I heard her advising them, their family and friends, always on the end of a phone, such an extraordinary role model for so many people who, until then, might have thought that their lives were ruined for ever. It is so easy to forget that Heather is disabled."

'ReAct Now: Music & Relief' will air September 10 on MTV, VH1, elsewhere.

Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones are among several artists who have been added to MTV, VH1 and CMT's Hurricane Katrina relief special.

Airing September 10th from 8 to 11 p.m. ET/PT, "ReAct Now: Music & Relief" will feature a mix of live and taped performances and messages from more than 30 artists.

"ReAct Now: Music & Relief" will be broadcast commercial-free from New York, Los Angeles, Nashville and Atlanta and will air simultaneously on MTV, VH1, CMT, MTV2, VH1 Classic and mtvU, as well as on the broadband online channels MTV Overdrive and VSpot.

The special will raise funds for the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, America's Second Harvest and similar organizations. Additional details will be announced in the coming days.

MTV News will air a special directly preceding "ReAct Now" on MTV.

September 2, 2005 -- BBC

Sir Paul reveals songwriting secrets

Sir Paul McCartney has spoken about some of his songwriting secrets ahead of the release of his latest album, Chaos And Creation In The Black Yard.

The album is Sir Paul's 20th studio recording since he left The Beatles, and was produced by Nigel Godrich, known as Radiohead's "invisible sixth member" and who has also worked with REM Travis and Beck.

The musician told Radio Four's Frontrow that Godrich had made a massive difference to the sound of the album.

"The good thing about working with Nigel in this case was that I would bring in something - a song, a certain idea of how it might be treated - and he would say, 'look, that's a little bit ordinary - let's look at it a bit differently'," he said.

"There's one song, called 'How Kind of You' - the second song on the album - and I brought it in as a strummy sound, but Nigel said, 'you can do that - but let's look at putting a kind of ocean down, a sort of bed.

"So we got drones going, and a harmonium and piano loop. It removed it from the ordinary."

Blackbird companion

Lyrically, Chaos And Creation In The Back Yard addresses just one person, in a way similar to some concept albums.

However, Sir Paul insisted that it was never possible to work out how an album would turn out.

"You never know quite what you're doing, because you never step back and go, 'ah, I see the concept'," he said.

"You just write a few songs, and the mood you're in, and the time and space you're in, governs that."

He said that, for example, one song, "Jenny Wren" - which McCartney describes as the "little sister" of the Beatles song "Blackbird" - was inspired by him seeing a flute player with Ravi Shankar at the Royal Albert Hall.

"I saw this guy on this low, mournful Indian flute. I traced him down through Ravi, because he had a sound that I wanted for the album, and found he was actually a Venezuelan guy called Pedro Eustace and that the flute itself was an Armenian instrument."

He also explained how the musical relationship of the song to "Blackbird" came about.

"In 'Blackbird', it's a particular style, it's almost like a folky style - but I can't actually do the proper fingerpicking style that real fingerpickers will do, so I've invented my own fudge of it," he said.

"That style of playing originally came from me and George [Harrison] having a party piece when we were kids, which was a piece by Bach.

"I thought that I loved doing that Bach thing - George did it better than me, he could do the real thing - but that was my goof of it."

Memorable songs

Sir Paul's way of playing the Bach gave him a melody and a bassline together, which was the origin of Blackbird.

But he never revisited this style until the new album, when he worked on the song "Jenny Wren" sitting in his car in Los Angeles.

"It was just the finger-style thing - I just thought I fancy doing something in that style," he added.

He also said that he still has songs which wander through his mind, or he wakes up with the opening line in his head.

He is able now to record them on tape at the time - but said that when he was with the Beatles, this was not possible, and this was how he and John Lennon would know if they had a good song.

"The great thing about John and I in the old days was that we didn't have tapes - but that was great because it focused us," he said.

"We used to say to each other, 'if we can't remember it tomorrow, it's no good.'

"How memorable is a song that you wrote last night and you can't remember this morning? It's not good."

But he added that he felt analysing his songs too much "spoils it".

"It's magic to me," he said.

"This whole process is completely magic, and I always feel like someone is going to catch me and stop me doing it for a living.

"There's always that feeling that this is too good to be true. So I don't want to tempt fate."

September 2, 2005 -- Contact Music

McCARTNEY CLEARER SINCE QUITTING WEED

Sir Paul McCartney is glad wife Heather forced him to quit smoking marijuana - because he makes more sense since he's stopped taking the drug.

The rocker took up the habit after sharing a joint with Bob Dylan in the early 1960s, and only recently weaned himself off it when new wife Heather Mills protested.

And he says, "I've talked to people who've said, 'You're conversation is so clear these days. It all used to be a little hazy.' And you thought you were having a good time.

"I have quite a liberal view (on drugs) but I find that I prefer to be straight."

McCartney goes on musical trip down memory lane Sep 5 2005

SIR PAUL McCARTNEY has returned to his old Abbey Road studio for a BBC Radio 2 special.

He was back at Studio 2 in Abbey Road, the room where many Beatles records were made.

His Sold on Song special - to be broadcast on September 17 - is said to reveal his songwriting

secrets. A BBC spokesman explained: "His is talking in depth, revealing his techniques and secrets and sharing stories of his writing partnership with John Lennon, his work with The Beatles and his solo career."

His musical journey goes from the first Beatles song to work on his new album Chaos & Creation in the Backyard. But most interesting of all for McCartney fans will be a special solo live performance.

Working with Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, he will perform with a selection of vintage instruments from his own collection.

These include the bass played by Bill Black on Elvis Presley's original recording of Heartbreak Hotel and the Mellotron and mixing desk used by The Beatles.

He performed this selection from his back catalogue in front of an audience of just 64 people including wife Heather, Fran Healey from Travis, Guy Chambers and Radio 2's Jeremy Vine.

He has reinterpreted old songs, revealed a few new ones and played some cover versions. At one stage, he got his VIP audience's help in demonstrating songwriting and arranging.

He also played his TV ad version of Band on the Run.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0800beatles/0050news/tm_objectid=15934428&method=ful...

Heather Mills McCartney Counsels Terror Victims

MILLS McCARTNEY COUNSELS TERROR VICTIMS: Model HEATHER MILLS McCARTNEY has made a series of private hospital visits to five people who lost limbs in the London terrorist attacks on 7 July (05), in a bid to help them come to terms with their injuries.

The United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, who is married to THE BEATLES legend SIR PAUL McCARTNEY, lost a leg when she was hit by a police motorbike in 1993 and has since devoted much of her time to counselling victims of similar horrific accidents.

A friend tells British newspaper the Sunday Mirror, "Heather wanted the visits to be as low-key as possible. She knows what it's like to lose a limb and has been determined to do everything she can to help.

"This is not Heather as Paul McCartney's wife - this is Heather as the woman who lost a leg. She doesn't want to be seen as a new Queen of Hearts, following in the footsteps of Diana.

"But she does have a desire to help in any way she can."

http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/health/3722004.htm

McCartney Still Inspired by John Lennon Mon Sep 5

NEW YORK - Paul McCartney sometimes gets a little help from a friend. "When I write, there are times — not always — when I hear John (Lennon) in my head," McCartney told the latest issue of Time magazine. "I'll think, OK, what would we have done here?, and I can hear him gripe or approve."

The former Beatles' newest work will be released Sept. 13 on his 20th solo album, "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard." Three days later, he starts a U.S. tour in Miami.

"Since the Beatles, I've approached making records every which way. A lot of times it's a really casual thing. Do a few tracks a day, have a bit of fun," McCartney said. "Normally I kind of say, 'I'd like to make a good album.' This time there was motivation, determination. 'I'm going to make a good album. I'm going to, and that's that.'"

The album took two years to record, with McCartney playing many of the instruments himself.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050905/ap_en_mu/paul_mccartney

September 5, 2005 -- Telegraph

Will you help me raise tsunami cash? Answers on a postcard, please

The niece of a celebrated senior aid worker who was killed in the Asian tsunami has convinced more than 300 artists and musicians, including Sir Paul McCartney, David Hockney and Charlotte Church, to donate their artwork for a charity auction.

Each has responded to a letter from Daisy Bell, a 20-year-old psychology student, asking for them to fill a blank postcard with their art, or where that was beyond them, their doodlings.

Miss Bell, who is a student at Edinburgh University, lost her uncle, Robin Needham, in the wave of destruction that rolled across South-East Asia last year.

He was head of Care-Nepal, an Aids charity, and had spent his life working to help the third world.

The last time he was seen alive, he was helping people move to higher ground on Koh Phra Thong, a coastal archipelago off Southern Thailand where he was on holiday with his wife and four children.

"It was the most terrible feeling when [my uncle] died," Miss Bell said.

"He was amazing, he spent his life helping people. Everyone has someone in their life who is the most incredible person. He was my person."

She decided to raise £10,000 ($18,700) for Care International in memory of her uncle, who would have been involved in the subsequent aid effort had he not lost his life.

Three months later, she is in possession of one of the more extraordinary postcard collections in the country. The framed cards, which include unique works by Mario Tesstino, the photographer, the artists Bernard Dunstan, Felim Egan and Margaret Hockney, the DJ Chris Moyles and Melanie C, the former Spice Girl, can be viewed online at www.artofcare.co.uk.

Bernard Williams, the director of Christie's Scotland, who will be auctioning 65 of the postcards at the opening night of the exhibition, said: "We are potentially looking at tens of thousands of pounds. The Hirst and the McCartney are star lots."

He said the fact that the collection included artists who were difficult to buy, including Hockney, could push the overall money raised up to £40,000.

The process began in March when Miss Bell recruited the help of two university friends, Marianna Chidley and Mary Ramsden. They wanted to hold a student art exhibition but Miss Bell hit on the blank postcard idea.

"I wanted to get Norman Ackroyd, Damien Hirst and David Hockney, and people said it wouldn't happen. But all of them responded - I couldn't believe it."

She wrote five letters to Hirst, to be told by his personal assistant politely to go away. Then she discovered a link in her sister's school and a next-door neighbour and it finally worked.

The first 65 works will be auctioned in Edinburgh at the Ocean Terminal shopping centre on Sept 30. The rest will be auctioned online, but interested early bids can be registered via artofcare.co.uk.

September 5, 2005

Lexus, an official sponsor of McCartney's upcoming tour, is currently running commericials advertising a Lexus hybrid SUV. In the background you can hear "Fine Line."

CROW WISHES McCARTNEY SHARED HER DREAMS

American rocker SHERYL CROW had such a realistic dream about writing songs with SIR PAUL McCARTNEY, she is amazed he can't remember it too.

The ALL I WANNA DO hitmaker, 43, is always disappointed when the ex-BEATLE insists he has no recollection of the surreal situation, even though it was conjured in her own vivid imagination.

She says, "I used to have a dream that I was sitting in a tree with Paul McCartney, and that he and I wrote a song together.

"Whenever I see him, I always say, 'Do you remember the time we wrote that song on top of a tree?'"

13/09/2005
http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/crow%20wishes%20mccartney%20sha...

PAUL McCARTNEY INTERVIEW

http://entertainment.msn.co.uk/music/paulmccartney/Default.asp