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Jackson, Michael
Michael Jackson was born on 28 August 1958 into a musical family in Gary, Indiana. By the age of five he had teamed up with his brothers in their group the Jackson Five. They signed to Detroit's Motown Records and began their climb to fame. They changed their name to the Jacksons in 1976 when they signed to Epic Records In his autobiography Moonwalk he writes that he first met Paul at a party aboard the Queen Mary, moored at Long Beach, California.
They shook hands and Paul told him that he'd written a song for him. Jackson was surprised, but thanked him and Paul then sang a song for him. They exchanged telephone numbers, but unfortunately Paul mislaid the song for a time and didn't call Michael. When he found the composition again he included it on the London Town album, calling it 'Girlfriend'.
When Michael began working on his first solo album for Epic, Quincy Jones brought the number to his attention, saying it would be ideal for him to record. At one time the album was going to be called Girlfriend, but became Off The Wall. The album sold seven million copies and launched Michael into solo superstardom. 'Girlfriend' became the fifth single issued from the album in Britain in July 1980 and reached No. 30 in the NME charts.
Michael then wrote a number for his next album, Thriller, called 'The Girl Is Mine'. He thought it would make a suitable duet for him and Paul, and they recorded it in Los Angeles between sessions for Paul's Tug Of War. Thriller was issued in 1982 and became one of the biggest-selling albums of all time. 'The Girl Is Mine' was issued as a single in Britain on Epic EPC A2729 on 29 November 1982 and reached the No. 4 position. In the US it was issued on Epic 34-03288 on 3 October 1982 and reached No. 2. The song was co-credited to both Michael and Paul, as Paul had helped with the finishing touches.
On Christmas Day 1981 Jackson rang Paul and said that he wanted to come over and write some hits with him. Paul didn't believe it was Jackson. Michael persisted and when he phoned again, Paul said he'd think about it. In May 1981 Jackson travelled to Britain and met up with Paul and the two began to work on a number they called 'Say Say Say'. Then Paul invited Michael to his Sussex home where Linda took photographs of him riding one of their horses.
The two worked on several numbers in the studio and 'Say Say Say' was issued simultaneously in the UK and US as a single on Monday 3 October 1983, with 'Ode To A Koala Bear' on the flipside. A 12" single with an extended mix and an instrumental version of 'Say Say Say' was also issued at the time. Another number, 'The Man', appeared on Pipes Of Peace.
Paul renewed their acquaintance backstage at a Los Angeles gig of Paul's during his 1989 tour.
In February 1990 when Paul was in Los Angeles to receive his Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys, he met up with Michael to discuss the future of Northern Songs. Jackson then agreed to increase Paul's share of the royalties. This was probably due to changes in the copyright laws in America which would have meant a huge loss in royalty payments to Paul when the Beatles numbers came up for renewal, beginning with 'Love Me Do' that year. The 1978 copyright law revision allowed for retroactive provisions for widows and orphans which would have meant that Yoko would start to take back half of Jackson's portion of royalties in America. Up until then, Jackson was splitting the royalties equally - 50/50 with the Lennon estate and McCartney. This meant that the Lennon estate and Paul received 25 per cent each with Jackson receiving 50 per cent. Under the new law Yoko's share could rise to 62.5 per cent, with Jackson receiving 25 per cent and Paul only receiving 12.5 per cent.
In 1994 Jackson was sued by Eric Kolper and Jay Bildstein of 57 Inc who claimed that Jackson had originally lent his support to their plan for a Beatles Rap album which they intended to record with artists such as the Beastie Boys, Ice-T and Run DMC to raise money for HELP, an American charity for the homeless, only to find that Jackson then blocked the project. The New York Court ruled in favour of Michael and his ATV music Group. It's believed that Jackson decided to withdraw permission for the album to use Beatles numbers due to Paul McCartney's dislike of Jackson's handling of the Beatles' songs.
Also during 1994, while Paul was touring South America, he gave an interview to the Argentina newspaper Clarin. Discussing the reports that Michael Jackson was addicted to painkillers, Paul said he felt that Jackson couldn't handle the pressures of fame. He admitted that the Beatles had been affected by Beatlemania at its height, but said, 'The Beatles were ordinary guys. When fame arrived we went a bit crazy. But even so, we had our feet on the ground. We had roots, we knew about life.' On the fact that Jackson took painkillers, he said, 'It's very LA! I mean Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor - these are people who became stars at a very young age.' When he was queried about the accusations of child abuse which Jackson had been accused of, he said, 'Linda and I are parents, and it's clear to us that Michael isn't that kind of person.'
Shortly prior to his New Orleans Show on Saturday 24 April 1993 Paul complained about Michael Jackson allowing Beatles songs to be used for commercials, saying, 'I don't like it and the fans don't like it. I get a lot of letters saying they don't like to hear Beatles songs adver tising sneakers or soft drinks. I think it cheapens the songs.'
On 28 July 1987 Leonard Marks, the Apple lawyer, had filed a lawsuit against Nike and Capitol Records due to the use of the Beatles' 'Revolution' in Nike TV commercials. There had been anger at the use of Beatles music in TV commercials since early 1985 when Ford used 'Help!' in a commercial.
Marks stated, 'The Beatles' position is that they don't sing jingles to peddle sneakers, beer, pantyhose or anything else. Their position is that they wrote and recorded these songs as artists and not as pitchmen for any product - use of the Beatles' voices constitutes unauthorised exploitation of the Beatles' persona and good will.'
At the time Paul had written to Jackson several times stating that he wanted to get the rights to his songs back and wanted to discuss it with Jackson, but all he'd received was a standard answer suggesting that he should talk to his lawyers.
In 1995 Paul said, 'I am not happy with the way Michael has handled it (the Lennon and McCartney catalogue). He was the first of all the owners of the songs to use them in commercials. I think this is a bad move commercially, not just morally. It cheapens the songs. When people come to my concerts, they often hold candles when we do "Let It Be". I don't think they'd do that anymore if the song suddenly became part of an Oldsmobile ad.'
Paul is to be found on one track of Michael Jackson's summer album HIStory:Past, Present & Future Book 1, released on Epic E2K-59000 on 20 June 1995. The 1992 recording of 'The Girl Is Mine' was included.
Paul was also to comment during the following month that he had requested increased royalty payments from Jackson on a number of occasions. He said, 'I've written to him three times. I'm the only living songwriter in the company, and he hasn't even replied.'
However, contact must have been made because on 24 June 1997 the text of some private letters between Paul and Jackson were published in Flair, a Belgian magazine.
In one letter Paul wrote:
'I know it has been a long time, but isn't it a time to forget the past? As a peace offer, my new CD. I think it's a pretty good one (haha!}. Especially "Souvenir" and "Great Day".
'So, friends again?
'Paul.
'ps. but keep your hands off the rights this time!'
Jackson replied:
'Paul, my dear friend, just a short note to let you know me, myself and I are doing fine on the mystery tour. Come and see for your self on 31 August in Oostende or on 8 or 10 June in the Amsterdam Arena. Bring Linda and the kids too, so they can meet my little boy. Let's reunite, make up and forget the past. I'll promise not to remix "Yesterday". Remember, I'm a lover, not a fighter!
'Hugs and kisses,
'Your Michael.'
In 1999 it was rumoured that Jackson was to sell off the Northern Songs catalogue, as he needed extra money to fund future projects. Jackson had bought ATV music in August 1985 for $47.5 million. Both Paul and Yoko Ono wanted to buy the company at the time but weren't able to match Jackson's offer.
In 1993 Jackson had signed a deal granting EMI's publishing divi sion managerial control over the catalogue and he received $70 million in advances. The previous licence holders had been MCA. EMI took over on 1 January 1994 for a five-year period. When the contract terminated, Jackson was able to license his ATV Music catalogue, which included the rights to 251 Beatles songs, to Sony for £60 million.
In 2001 it was reported that Jackson was planning to sell the rights to cover his legal bills and to aid the upkeep of his 'Neverland' ranch. Jackson denied the rumours, saying, 'I want to clarify a silly rumour. The Beatles catalogue is not for sale and will never be for sale.'
Jailed In Japan
Paul spent time in a Japanese jail in January 1980.
Wings were to appear in eleven concerts in Japan between Monday 21 January and Saturday 2 February. Paul had previously been refused a visa for Japan in 1976 due to his drugs conviction, but had now been allowed to enter the country to make appearances with the band.
On the journey to Tokyo they had stopped off in New York to stay at the Stanhope Hotel and Paul attempted to contact John Lennon who he hoped to meet. When Paul phoned the Dakota, Yoko Ono refused to allow him to speak to John. He told her that they were off to Japan and would be staying at the Okura Hotel, which was John and Yoke's favourite hotel in Tokyo.
Arriving at Narita Airport on Wednesday 16 January, customs men searched Paul and discovered 8 ounces of marijuana. Sources were later to voice their suspicions that it was Yoko Ono who had tipped the police off about Paul.
Paul was arrested, handcuffed and questioned by narcotics officers and was then taken to spend the night in a local jail, being designated as Prisoner No. 22. The following day he was questioned for over six hours in the presence of his Japanese lawyer, Tasuko Matsuo. When the narcotics officers attempted to take him from the jail they were besieged by 200 fans and had to leave him behind for another night.
On Friday 18 January the prosecutors requested that they be allowed to detain Paul for a further ten days for questioning and the Tokyo district court agreed. They said that after that time they would either free him or charge him with possessing cannabis.
Paul requested that he be given a guitar in his cell, but this was rejected. Meanwhile a cable was sent to Paul and Linda at the hotel: 'Thinking of you all with love. Keep your spirits high. Nice to have you back home again soon. God bless. Love, George and Olivia.'
Senator Edward Kennedy made several calls to Tokyo enquiring about Paul's arrest. He expressed concern that if Paul intended to appear in concerts in America, a conviction in Japan would mean he would be unable to get a permit for the US. It has been suggested that Kennedy's calls helped to persuade the Japanese to release Paul without charge.
Since Paul wasn't allowed either guitar or tape recorder, Linda visited him on Thursday 24 January with some science-fiction books for him to read. She commented, 'He looks incredibly well. He was managing to smile and crack jokes. In fact, he was laughing so much, he even got me laughing and believe me, I haven't been able to do much laughing during the last week.'
On Friday 25 January the prosecutor's office announced, 'Charges were not brought against Mr McCartney because he had brought in the marijuana solely for his own use and that he has already been punished enough as a result of the incident.'
He was taken to the airport and deported. During his trip back home, at the various stops, Paul was surrounded by reporters and made various statements.
He confessed, 'I have been a fool. What I did was incredibly dumb. My God, how stupid I have been! I was really scared, thinking I might have been imprisoned for so long and now I have made up my mind never to touch the stuff again. From now on, all I'm going to smoke is straightforward fags and no more pot.'
Asked about his experiences in jail, Paul said, T sang "Yesterday" to a killer in the bath! I joined my fellow inmates for a dip in the baths and they asked me for a singsong. I gave them the old ones like "Red Red Robin" and "Take This Hammer". Their favourite, though, was "Yesterday".'
Enlarging on his experience, he said, 'I communicated with other prisoners by knocking on the walls and shouting. I became quite matey with the chap next door. He could speak a bit of English. Funnily enough, he was inside for smuggling pot. We told each other the worst jokes in the world. They were really dreadful, but they helped to relieve the tension. Discipline in the prison was very strict, but I made friends among the prisoners and guards. We sang and laughed together as if we had been mates for ages. But I was never allowed to see sunlight or get a breath of fresh air. That was depressing.'
At the time of his arrest, nearly 100,000 tickets had been sold and it was said that money amounting to the equivalent of £800,000 had to be returned to ticket holders. In addition, Paul's insurance had lapsed shortly prior to the Japanese trip.
Denny Laine was very critical of Paul due to what he considered he had lost financially with the collapse of the tour and wrote a bitter song 'Japanese Tears'. Paul was also angry with Laine because he flew to Cannes to make deals for himself while Paul was still detained in jail.
As a result of the charge Wings' records were banned from Japanese television and radio for three months.
Jamaican Hilite
An unreleased instrumental which Paul made a demo disc of at his Rude Studio in Scotland in the summer of 1977.
James Bond Greatest Hits
A compilation album of theme songs and soundtrack music from the twelve James Bond movies that had been issued up to the time of the album's release on Liberty EMTV 007 on 8 March 1973.
It reached No. 6 in the British album charts and 'Live And Let Die' by Paul McCartney and Wings was Track 2 on Side 2 of the LP.
James, Ian
A classmate of Paul's during his days at Liverpool Institute. The two friends virtually taught each other to play guitar, passing tips, playing together. They also used to wander round the visiting funfairs, trying to pick girls up. They began to look and dress alike, sharing the same hairstyle (like Tony Curtis's, nicknamed the DA, duck's arse), which was popular at the time, and both wore white sports jackets and drain pipe trousers. Paul said they wore the jackets because of the song 'A White Sports Coat' and described his jacket as having 'speckles in it and a flap on the pockets'. It was Ian who taught Paul the chords he played to John on their first meeting.
Paul was to say, 'We used to go round to the fairs, listening to the latest tunes on the Waltzer. Occasionally we'd get really depressed, so we'd maybe go back to his house and put on an Elvis record - "Don't Be Cruel" or "All Shook Up" - and five minutes later we'd feel good again.'
James Paul McCartney (TV interview)
A 31-minute television special recorded at AIR Studios, London on Monday 15 March 1982. This was Paul's first major interview since John's murder and was for the French television station A2. During the interview, conducted by Freddy Hausser, Paul talked about his idols, which included footballer Kenny Dalglish, who had been playing for Liverpool FC. He mentioned his new album Tug Of War, discussed music publishing and played an excerpt from the very first song he ever wrote, 'I Lost My Little Girl', on piano. Footage from Rockshow was also screened, together with the promotional video for the 'Ebony And Ivory' single.
James Paul McCartney (TV special)
An hour-long televison special made by Sir Lew Grade's company ATV. It was described in the promotional blurb as:' ... a personal project of Sir Lew, realised through the genius of Paul McCartney and the expertise of producer Gary Smith and director Dwight Hewison'.
Smith and Hewison had produced Elvis Presley's 'Comeback Special' in 1968.
In fact, Paul agreed to do the show in a deal struck to heal the breach caused between him and Sir Lew when Paul shared the composing credits with Linda on 'Another Day'. Grade initially believed it was a ruse to cut into the royalties due to his company through its ownership of Lennon and McCartney material.
The TV show was filmed on videotape in various places: on location in Scotland; in a Liverpool pub where Gerry Marsden, leader of Gerry 6c the Pacemakers joined Paul and locals in a rousing singalong and at ATV's Boreham Wood studios in front on a live audience.
It opened with 'Big Barn Bad' from the recently released Red Rose Speedway and followed with a medley of 'Blackbird'/'BluebirdV 'Michelle'/'Heart Of The Country', with Linda taking photographs and Paul singing the medley with an acoustic guitar. 'Bluebird' was edited out of the medley when it was screened in Britain. 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' had overdubbed animal noises to add to the effect and was followed by another medley, this time of 'Little Woman Love'/'C Moon', followed by 'My Love'. The 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey' number is played before the 'Pub sequence' in which Paul, Linda and relatives appear in a Liverpool pub for a singalong with such numbers as 'It's A Long Way To Tipperary', 'April Showers', 'Come Along', 'California Here I Come' and 'You Are My Sunshine'.
The next song was one Paul had originally written for Twiggy, 'Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance'. This featured a long-haired Paul, complete with moustache, dressed in a white tail-suit, dancing with a host of showgirls whose costumes and make-up were half-male, half-female.
'Live And Let Die' followed and then a street sequence in which cappella versions of Beatles numbers were sung - 'When I'm Sixty Four', 'A Hard Day's Night', 'Can't Buy Me Love', 'She Loves You', 'Ob-la-di Ob-la-da', 'Yesterday' and 'Yellow Submarine'. A live performance of numbers filmed at ATV Elstree Studios came next -'The Mess', 'Maybe I'm Amazed', 'Long Tall Sally' and 'Hi, Hi, Hi'.
Finally, Paul ended the show singing 'Yesterday' to his own acoustic guitar accompaniment.
The programme was first screened in America on ABC-TV on Monday 16 April 1973. It was broadcast in Britain on Thursday 10 May 1973. For the British version, there was a live performance on 'Hi, Hi, Hi' that replaced 'Long Tall Sally', which had been the closing song in the American transmission.
Paul was to comment: 'You could say it's fulfilling an old ambition. Right at the start I fancied myself in a musical comedy. But that was before the Beatles. Don't get me wrong. I'm no Astaire or Gene Kelly and this doesn't mean the start of something big. I don't want to be an all-rounder. I'm sticking to what I am.'
The reviews in general were not exactly enthusiastic, Melody Maker calling it 'overblown and silly'.
Japanese Jailbird
Title of 20,000-word manuscript, which Paul penned himself and completed in 1984. It was based on his thoughts and experiences during the time he spent in a jail in Tokyo, Japan, in 1980, when he was arrested at the airport for possession of marijuana.
Paul wrote the book in secret and deposited it in a bank vault. It was a project strictly 'not for publication' (although he did have one copy privately printed for himself). He was to comment 'The merci fully short time I spent in jail cured a block I've experienced as a writer ever since schooldays. It's always been my ambition to write a book.'
When he was interviewed for the 1989 radio series McCartney On McCartney he mentioned the manuscript and said, 'I did it for my chil dren immediately I got home. I thought, one day when we're all old and my son's a great big thirty-year-old and says, "Dad, what about that Japanese thing?" I'll be able to say: "There you are. Read that." I've just got one copy at home. It's called Japanese Jailbird,''
Paul was 37 years old when he arrived at Narita Airport and customs officers discovered 8 ounces of marijuana in a plastic bag at the top of his suitcase.
Twenty-one years after the event, Paul revealed his experiences of the nine-day ordeal in the Japanese prison cell in the 2001 documentary 'Wingspan'.
Due to the fact that he realised he was facing the possibility of a seven-year sentence of hard labour, he couldn't sleep at night. When he did manage to get some sleep he had disturbing dreams.
Paul was required to sweep his cell each morning with a reed brush, had to fold up his bedding and blanket and only then was allowed to wash and brush his teeth. He was also allowed a cigarette break during the day, which allowed him to speak to some of the other prisoners, one a murderer, another a Marxist student.
On release he went home, had a cup of tea and never spoke to anyone of his experiences, preferring to write about them in Japanese Jailbird.
However, with 'Wingspan' he began to discuss them for the first time during an interview with his daughter Mary.
He said:
I do not know what possessed me to stick this bloody great bag of grass in my suitcase. Thinking back on it, it almost makes me shudder.
I think, 'I don't believe that, how could I do that? How could Linda - who was much smarter than me - let me do that?' I must just have said, 'Oh baby, don't worry, it'll be alright.'
I was thrown into nine days of turmoil. It was very, very scary for the first three days. I don't think I slept much at all. And when I slept, I had very bad dreams.
I really thought I was such an idiot. I didn't have a change of clothes. I couldn't see anyone. I couldn't even have a book. And of course they were all speaking Japanese and I couldn't understand a word of it.
It took me three days to realise that you were allowed a change of clothes. I'd just worn this green suit that I'd arrived in and hadn't taken it off.
I was scared because the actual penalty for what I did was seven years hard labour. After a few days I started to see lawyers, but nobody actually said they would be able to get me out.
After a few days I became like Steve McQueen in The Great Escape. My sense of humour and natural survival instinct started to kick in.
I realised from all the movies I'd ever seen and from all the books I'd ever read that the gig in the morning is that you've got to clean your cell.
They'd put a reed brush and a little dustpan through the grill in the cell door.
I started to realise, 'Right, I'm going to get up when the light goes on, I'm going to be the first up, I'm going to be the first with his room cleaned, I'm going to roll up my bed, I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that.'
You had to clean your room and then sit cross-legged on your blanket, and you went 'Hai' and the guard came and said, 'OK, you can get washed.'
The first couple of days I'd been the last to get washed because I hadn't figured it out. But once I understood what was needed I started to become the guy who was cleaned first, who got to do his teeth first.
During what they used to call the exercise period I'd squat down with all the other prisoners and you were allowed to have a ciga rette. You squatted around a tin can, like a baked-bean can, smoking your cigarette and tapping the ash in the can.
There was one guy who spoke English. He was a student, in for social unrest. He was quite clever - a bit of a Marxist. I could talk to him.
There was another guy who was in for murder, a gangster guy. He had a big tattoo on his back, which is the sign of gangsters in Japan.
I started to become one of the lads. I started doing games with these guys. One of my games was something we'd played in the studio with the Beatles. It was who can touch the highest part of the wall. Of course, because I was taller than the other prisoners as they were all Japanese, I tended to win that game.
So I was going all of that, almost enjoying it by the end. When I got out Linda said I'd got institutionalised.
Japanese Tears (album)
A solo album issued by Denny Laine following the lack of action on the Wings front in the months following Paul's Japanese drug bust. A number of the tracks had been recorded some time previously, and three of them were actually Wings tracks - 'I Would Only Smile', first recorded in 1973, 'Send Me The Heart', recorded in 1974 and co-written with Paul, and 'Weep For Love', from the 1979 Back To The Egg sessions.
The album was issued in Britain on Scratch SCR L 5001 on 5 December 1980, but it was not until 8 August 1983, some time after Wings had officially disbanded, that it was released in America on Takoma ТАК 7103. It did not reach the charts in either Britain or America. Artists appearing on the album, apart from Denny, included Paul and Linda, Howie Casey, Steve Holly, Jo Jo Laine, Henry McCullogh and Denny Seiwell.
It was re-released under the title of In Flight in May 1984 by Breakaway Records (BLY 110) and again on 31 May 1985 by President Records on PRCV 135 under the title Weep For Love. In June 1990 it was issued as a CD under the new title Denny Laine Featuring Paul McCartney.
Japanese Tears (single)
When the Wings' tour of Japan was cancelled due to Paul's drug bust in 1980, Denny Laine decided to write a song about the event, which he called 'Japanese Tears'. The flipside was a number he had recorded in 1978 with Steve Holly called 'Guess I'm Only Fooling'. The single was issued in Britain in 1980 on Scratch HS 401 on 2 May and in America on 5 May on Arista AS 0511.
Its name was changed to 'Denny Laine Featuring Paul McCartney' when it was issued as a CD in Britain in June 1990.
The number was recorded at Rock City. It followed the arrest of Paul in Tokyo and tells the story of a young Japanese fan's reaction to the cancellation of the tour.
Jazz Piano Song
A number credited to McCartney/Starkey. It was a spontaneous piece that arose during the Let It Be recording sessions and is seen being created in the early part of the Let It Be film. Paul had sat at the piano and begun playing an improvised boogie-woogie song and was imme diately joined by Ringo. The two played for a couple of minutes and, since the piece was included in the film, it had to be copyrighted. As a result it was given the title 'Jazz Piano Song' and credited to Paul and Ringo.
Jazz Street
An eight-minute jam session recorded during the Red Rose Speedway sessions.
Jet (promotional film)
The MPL promotional film of this first track from Band On The Run to be issued as a single included animated line drawings of Paul and Linda, lyrics flashing onto the screen and a montage of images of Paul and Linda.
Jet (song)
Although the lyrics of this song mention a suffragette, Paul insists a black Labrador puppy inspired the title.
Paul and Linda were driving in the country one day when they came across a small roadside pet shop. On impulse they bought a little bitch puppy, the runt of the litter.
As she grew up, she got into the habit of jumping over the wall of the garden in St John's Wood and would disappear for long periods of time. On one of these walkabouts she got pregnant and some months later gave birth to nine little puppies in the garage.
Paul gave names to each of them, including Jet, Brown Megs and Golden Molasses.
The song, 4 minutes and 8 seconds in length, made its bow on the Band On The Run album, and was issued as a single on Friday 15 February 1974, on Apple R5996 in Britain where it went to No. 6 in the charts, and on Apple 1871 in America on Monday 18 February 1974, where it got to No. 7.
'Let Me Roll It' was the flipside on both sides of the Atlantic, with fellow Liverpudlian Howie Casey playing sax.
A live version of the number was included on the Wings Over America album, recorded during the 1975/76 tour, and the song was also on the Wings Greatest compilation. On 4 December 1980 it was issued as the flipside of 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey' in America on Columbia Hall of Fame 13-33408.
The single was issued in Germany on EMI Electrola/Apple 1C006-05529, in France on Apple 2C008-05555 and in Japan on Apple EAR-10520.
A version of this number lasting 4 minutes and 2 seconds was included on the Tripping The Live Fantastic album. It was recorded live at the Wembley Arena, London on 17 January 1990 during the 1989/90 World Tour.
Jim Mac's Jazz Band
Jim McCartney, Paul's father, formed his own ragtime band at the age of seventeen in 1919. The initial name they used at rehearsals and on their debut was the Masked Melody Makers. Jim was on piano and trumpet, his brother Jack on trombone and a cousin was also in the group.
On that first appearance they wore highwaymen's masks, but they were sweating so much during the performance that the dye from the masks ran down their faces. After that they became known as Jim Mac's Jazz Band.
Their repertoire included 'The Birth Of The Blues', 'Stairway To Paradise', 'Chicago', 'Lullaby Of The Leaves' and 'After You've Gone', together with a Jim McCartney original composition, 'Walking In The Park With Eloise'.
The semi-professional band wore dinner jackets and appeared at local venues such as Oak Hall and St Catherine's Hall and they were booked to perform during the first showing in Liverpool of the silent film Queen Of Sheba. They played 'Thanks For The Buggy Ride' during the chariot race sequence and 'Horsy Keep Your Tail Up' during the Queen of Sheba's deathbed sequence.
Jim Mac's Jazz Band lasted until the mid-1920s.
John, Paul, George, Ringo... And Bert
A play about the Beatles, penned by Willy Russell. It originally made its debut at the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool, then opened at the Lyric Theatre, London on Thursday 15 August 1974.
Paul was furious when he read the original script that portrayed him in a bad light and, as a result, he refused to allow Robert Stigwood to obtain the film rights.
In an interview, Paul was to say, 'I certainly appear to come out as the one saying, "No. No. Don't do Klein, and don't do this." I think I did have a good idea of what was going on there, because no one seemed to spot the Klein thing, and there was me left in a big, bad situ ation ... .he's (Russell) got me saying, "I'm leaving. I'm leaving the group," and the rest of the group saying, "Oh no, come on Paulie. It's the group. Let's stick together." In fact, that is physically wrong. I was actually the last to leave the group.'
Johnny Walker Show, The
A Radio One FM show which played the soundtrack of Paul's first UK gig of his 'New World Tour' on Saturday 11 September 1993. It included the numbers 'Good Rockin' Tonight', 'We Can Work It Out' and 'Biker Like An Icon'.
Johns, Glyn
A leading British producer/engineer. Glyn's first association with the Beatles occurred when he acted as an assistant engineer on Jack Good's television special 'Around the Beatles'.
A few years later Glyn received a phone call from Paul in December 1968, inviting him to work with the Beatles. Paul explained that they were producing their own television show and intended making a documentary and an album from it. The project turned out to be Let It Be. The tapes that Glyn recorded, together with George Martin, were later given to Phil Spector to mix. Glyn was to comment: 'I cannot bring myself to listen to the Phil Spector version of the album -1 heard a few bars of it once, and was totally disgusted, and think it's an absolute load of garbage.'
Paul called Glyn again, this time to work on the Red Rose Speedway sessions, but it was said that he felt Paul's work on the album was too slow and he walked out on the sessions.
Jones, John Paul
Leading British guitarist and former member of supergroup Led Zeppelin. John appeared on the Rockestra recordings for Back To The Egg and also performed with the Rockestra at the Hammersmith charity concert on 29 December 1979. He appears in some scenes in the film Give My Regards To Broad Street, performing during the 'Ballroom Dancing' sequence and at a rehearsal session.
Jones, Shelagh
Paul's personal assistant for almost sixteen years. When she left his employ in 2000 she was given a bonus of £160,000 - on the stipula tion that she did not publicly discuss the time she spent working for Paul.
Jones, Tom
During Paul's tour of Australia in 1993, he received the following note from Tom Jones:
Dear Paulboyo,
It's bad enough following in your wake around Australia, trying to get an audience going with 'Delilah' when they've just OD-ed on 'Sgt Pepper's, but now I hear you're nicking part of my act as well. Paulbach, this ain't fair. Lingerie is my line. Can you please have a word with your fans to discourage this bra-bunging and tell them ... have the last pants for me.
Yours,
Tomo.
In 2000 Paul promised to write a song for Tom Jones. Jones had mentioned in an interview that he'd been given the opportunity to record 'The Long And Winding Road' before the Beatles' version had been released, but had turned it down. Paul read what he'd said and decided to write him a new song.
Paul explained, 'He was telling the story of how I offered him "Long And Winding Road". He had to turn it down at the time because I stip ulated it had to be his next single, and he had something like "Delilah" coming out, so they couldn't stop it.
'He was telling me this in private, and said, "Come on boy, write us a song then." I just think he's cool, and when someone asks like that, if I like them I'll give it a try and if something comes, great. If not, I'll just ring them up and say, "couldn't do it", but something came.'
Joseph Williams Primary School
A school in Liverpool. It was the school where both Paul and Mike were moved to when Stockton Wood Road became overcrowded. Paul was an apt pupil and came top in most subjects regularly. He did not have any difficulty in passing his 11-Plus examinations and gaining entrance to Liverpool Institute.
Liverpool Council announced they were closing the school down in 1996.
Paul joined a campaign to prevent the school closing, saying, 'It's a shame because I have many good memories of the school. I remember it as a good school and I hate to see any school anywhere closing down. I would like to request that the authorities rethink this decision.'
There was a reprieve.
Juber, Laurence
It was hearing the Beatles' 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' which inspired Juber to become a guitarist and he particularly wanted to become a studio musician. He joined a group and was also a member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.
He was working on a television show with David Essex and Denny Laine, who was present, liked the way he played. Juber had worked
with artists such as Cleo Laine and also backed Denny on a TV show performing 'Go Now'.
A few months later, when he was recording at Abbey Road, he received a call from MPL saying, 'Denny Laine wants you to come over and play. Oh, by the way, Paul and Linda will be there too.'
He recalled, 'Paul was one of my earliest influences. I have tremen dous respect for him. When I went for the audition I was surprised - I wasn't nervous.'
After the audition, Denny Laine approached him and said, 'What are you doing next year?' 'What do you mean?' Juber said. 'Well, you know, do you want to join us?'
So, at the age of 25, the session musician became a member of Wings (the line-up known as Mach VII) in June 1978, along with drummer Steve Holly, after initially recording with the group on their 5 May session for 'Same Time Next Year'.
Laurence toured with Wings in 1979, but mainly his time with the group was spent in the recording studios. When the Wings tour of Japan was cancelled, he spent his time making some solo recordings, mainly instrumentals.
In 1982 he released five of them on an album called Standing Time issued by Braking Records on BRAK 1 on 9 July. Among the tracks was 'Maisie', an instrumental he wrote for Back To The Egg, recorded by Wings but left off the album itself by Paul. On the track, Paul plays bass guitar.
Juber moved to California and married Hope Schwartz, daughter of Hollywood producer Sherwood Schwartz, producer of such shows as Gilligan's Island.
Juber occasionally appears at Beatles conventions in the States with his wife Hope, and at one of them he told the American magazine Beatlefan his thoughts about Paul: 'He treated me very well. He's a very gentlemanly person, very clever, very demanding and very competitive. He's a good source of information, a brilliant musician and a very nice man, I can't say anything bad about him.'
His recordings as a member of Wings were: 'Goodnight Tonight'/ 'Daytime Nighttime Suffering', 'Old Siam Sir'/'Spin It On', 'Back To The Egg', 'Getting CloserV'Baby's Request', 'Wonderful Christmastime', 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reggae', 'Concerts For The People Of Kampuchea', 'Put It There'/'Same Time Next Year'.
Jungle Juice
A band that issued a version of Paul's 'Zoo Gang' in Britain one month before Wings issued their own. The record was released on Pye-Bradley BRAD 74071 on 24 May 1974.
Junior's Farm
When Paul and Linda were recording in Nashville in 1974 they stayed at a farm owned by Curly Putnam, also called Junior, and decided to immortalise him in this song.
Famed Country musicians Chet Atkins and Floyd Cramer joined Wings on the track. It was also the first Wings single to feature Jimmy McCulloch and Geoff Britton.
The number was issued in Britain on Apple R5999 on Friday 25 October 1974 and in the States on Apple 1875 on Monday 4 November. The single reached No. 3 in America and No. 16 in Britain.
The flipside was 'Sally G', a number reputed to have been written in honour of a Country singer whom Paul had met.
In 1975 Paul decided to reverse sides, releasing 'Sally G' as the A-side with 'Junior's Farm' on the flip. He commented, 'We flipped the single and I thought it might seem like we were trying to fool the public, but it isn't. It's only to get a bit of exposure on that song. Otherwise, it just dies a death, and only the people who bought 'Junior's Farm' get to hear 'Sally G'. I like to have hits, that is what I am making records for.'
It was issued in Britain on Apple R5999 on Tuesday 7 January and in America on Apple 1875 on Friday 7 February. It only reached No. 39 in the US. It was the last Paul McCartney and Wings single to be issued by Apple in both Britain and America.
'Junior's Farm' was included on the Wings Greatest compilation.
The single was released in Germany on EMI Electrola/Apple 1C006-05753 and in France on Apple 2C004-05752.
Junk
A number that Paul originally began to write during a trip to India in March 1968, with an early working title of the song being 'Jubilee'. It has also been known as 'Jun^ In the Yard'. In May of that year Paul completed a demo at George's bungalow 'Kinfauns', completing the song in time for The Beatles White Album sessions, although it wasn't used. The number was recorded again during the Abbey Road sessions but was one of six numbers that were not included on the final selec tion. Paul was initially seen running through a version of the number in January 1970 at Twickenham Studios during the filming of Let It Be.
It eventually appeared on Paul's solo debut album McCartney, lasting 1 minute and 53 seconds; he played all the instruments on the song himself, part of which he recorded at his home and part at Morgan Studios in London. Paul also released an instrumental version called 'Singalong Junk'.
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