2013 (Part One)

2013 was another incredible year of activity and accomplishment from the approaching 71 year old mark Sir Paul McCartney.

January saw him enter the studio with son James, and the results have Paul backing him on “Thinking About Rock & Roll.” This track, produced by David Kahne appear on James 2013 album, ME.

In this time frame saw him come together with Giles Martin for the first of the NEW sessions. Giles, son of George , had worked extensively with Paul on his multiple Beatles remix projects. They worked on six tracks, all of which would see the light of day in the next year or so.

Also in this same time period Paul reunited with director Michel Gondry (“Dance Tonight” video) on recording new music (Playing bass on a few songs) for the “MOOD INDIGO” soundtrack album and film.

In February he met up for the second time with producer Paul Epworth on material for the new album. They finished three songs from the next album. Epworth is again credited as co-writer of each track.

So he is working in different directions with four producers who are interpreting each of these tracks in their own way. So the new album will sure be a buffet of ideas and sounds and I couldn’t imagine it having any threaded theme or concept. Lots of talented fingers in this pie.

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Paul and Nancy attended the concert of James on March 27th.
April had Paul doing overdubs and mixing the tracks he has been recording since 2012.

After some rehearsal time the next major tour for Paul and his band began on May 3rd.

Overall this tour would not officially end until October 22nd, 2015.

Over 2 1/2 years, 99 concerts in 18 countries.

Like all of Paul’s tours, there are many highlights and stories. Like the night in Goiana, Brazil (the second show of the tour) when the stage was swarmed with grasshoppers.

The Esperanca Grilo, which translates to the Hope Grasshopper, swarmed the stage, equipment, and even the band and crew during the show. McCartney even made notation of the grasshoppers during “Hey Jude”, as he sang the line “The movement you need is on your shoulder”, turning to his shoulder, singing to the grasshoppers.

This, like most tourism featured new and exciting stage and sound upgrades, which included a scissor-lift platform that carried McCartney 20 feet into the air. Not quite Kiss, but still refreshing.

Paul also was a tad flexible with the set list that changed over the 2 1/2 year tour. It would also eventually feature music he was just finishing up. Five new Beatles songs he had never sung in concert were included.

The tour pause of July gave Paul a second session with Giles Martin.

They finished three songs, and this ended the recording for the year, and for any music associated with the NEW album.

He highlighted the iHeart Music Festival in Las Vegas on September 21st. He also appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! two days later. And two days after that he played three songs for the 23rd Simply Shakespeare Benefit, in Santa Monica at The Broad Stage.

In New York on October 7th, the band played on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.

Two nights later (October 9th) he played at The Frank Sinatra School of the Arts. Her performed to students and teachers at the Astoria, Queens school. He performed 13 songs stopping his set for friendly Q&A with students from the school.
Dedicating the title track from his ‘NEW’ album to wife Nancy, Paul informed the enthusiastic audience the day was also their second wedding anniversary.

The concert took place on what would have been John Lennon’s birthday and Paul paid tribute by performing ‘Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!’ with his band.

The Frank Sinatra School of the Arts was set up by singer Tony Bennet and his wife Susan Benedetto in 2001.

On Thursday October 10th, Paul and his band performed an impromptu concert in New York Times Square. He played on a stage fitted into a tractor tailor that pulled up at 46th Street and Broadway, by the TXS Booth. Paul appeared with his four man band, and offered songs from his new release. No Beatles or Wings songs were performed.

“You’re a lovely audience,” McCartney said before ending his 15 minute show. “Let’s do this the same time tomorrow – just kidding.

On October 11th, Paul released his next solo album. Paul said: “The original idea was to go to a couple of producers whose work I loved, to see who I got on with best – but it turned out I got on with all of them! We made something really different with each producer, so I couldn’t choose and ended up working with all four. We just had a good time in different ways.

The new album is called….. NEW.
Next, the album is reviewed.
Then the remaining track from this period and finally the rest of the busy year 2013.