Category Archives: Paul McCartney

McCartney III – Yellow Vinyl….and More [UPDATE]

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Since we last posted about the ever-growing McCartney III virtual rainbow of coloured vinyl on offer to pre-order, yet another two colour options have surfaced!

A yellow LP and a violet LP have now been added to the ten other colours already out there.

Late last week Paul McCartney used Facebook to send out this message:

Text Paul +1 (212) 313-9547 There may be something special coming your way soon…

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Fans who responded are today receiving texts back with a link to the official McCartney US store selling the latest in the never-ending, limited edition coloured vinyl craze surrounding this yet-to-be-released album. Seems that violet coloured heart emoji was a hint about the latest coloured vinyl:The site says this is limited to 3000 copies. No sign yet of it being offered in the UK or other territories.

Also limited to 3000 copies in the US, but being offered on the Canadian Music Vaultz site and the UK Paul McCartney Official Store as well, McCartney’s new album can also be had in opaque yellow vinyl:

Interestingly, on the US store site it says that this yellow vinyl LP is only available for shipping to US addresses.

By our count that makes no fewer than 12 different vinyl colours……

Also since we last posted there’s been news of a Japanese SHM-CD release of McCartney III that contains four “Japan bonus tracks” on the one disc. There’s speculation that these four bonus tracks are the same four tracks that are only available individually on four separate CDs in other markets (although that is yet to be confirmed).

The Japanese SHM-CD Special Edition comes in a jacket with a red dice on the cover:And, for a limited time, it comes with an A4 sized 2021 calendar:

For a chart of the complete variations of this release (that we know about) click here, or see the image at the bottom of this page.

Meanwhile, back at campaign headquarters, the people doing the marketing for the worldwide release of McCartney III have put us on a Twitter and Facebook “countdown” called The Twelve Days of Paul.

This is an international series of events leading up to the album’s official launch date on December 18.

For each of the twelve days, in a different city around the world, a big white wall is having a mural applied to it depicting the sheet music from a song from McCartney III.

The first went up in London, then came Los Angeles, followed by Mexico City, and today Sydney Australia.

Online you can follow along with each city depicted as a white dice on a map and, as the campaign is rolled out (no pun intended), that dice turns red. Check out the map for a sped-up video of the sheet music graphic being applied.

On mobile devices the map is replaced by a list of the cities involved in #12DaysOfPaul:

http://PaulMcCartney.com/12DaysOfPaul
@AmazonMusicUK
London – McCARTNEY III
Los Angeles – McCARTNEY III
Mexico City – McCARTNEY III
Sydney – McCARTNEY III
Toronto – McCARTNEY III
Berlin – McCARTNEY III
New York City – McCARTNEY III
Tokyo – McCARTNEY III
Chicago – McCARTNEY III
Paris – McCARTNEY III
Rio – McCARTNEY III
Liverpool – McCARTNEY III

(Being based in Australia we kind of think the Sydney offering looks a bit small compared to the other cities so far!)

There also seems to be a cover version campaign associated with The Twelve Days of Paul campaign whereby relatively well-known local musicians in each place record a cover version of the song for their city.

In London it was Blossoms doing a pretty cool version of the LP opener ‘Long Tailed Winter Bird‘. Oddly there didn’t seem to be anyone doing a version of ‘Find My Way’ (the song for LA), but in Mexico City the singer Lasso covered ‘Pretty Boys‘. (Lasso is actually a Venuzuelan singer who moved to Mexico in 2015 to expand his audience and musical career. Check out his website).

Amatuer singers and bands are also being encouraged to upload their versions of the new songs too.

Bring on release day! (Can there possibly be any more teasers or vinyl colour variations still in the woodworks?)

(click on the image above to see a larger version)

McCartney III – Orange Vinyl

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There are now no fewer than 10 vinyl colour variations of the forthcoming Paul McCartney release McCartney III.

It’s just been announced that a further colour has been added to the rainbow – an orange vinyl limited to 3000 copies – available exclusively through Universal Music Stores online (e.g. the US uDiscover Music Store, the UK uDiscover Music Store, German uDiscover Music Store, etc.)

You can check out the other vinyl colours (many now sold out) here.

Add to that the four “McCartney III Color Collection” CD versions, in two sleeve designs with individual bonus tracks associated with each colour.

Oh, and there’s a cassette……

The release date for the album has slipped back from December 11 to December 18. It’s rumoured that the one week delay was caused – in part – by Capitol having to press so many different variations and colours!

By our reckoning there are now 21 different ways to buy this album in physical form.

To help you keep track here’s a chart of where we are at (so far):

(click on the image to see a larger version)

UPDATE!

Since we published this article there were many additional variations to this release. Here’s where it eventually got to:

(click on the image to see a larger version)

More (and we mean more!) McCartney III Variations

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Oh boy. Just when you thought that 9 vinyl colour variations, plus 2 CD cover variations – and a cassette – were enough, the folks at MPL and Capitol have devised even more ways to get you to buy the forthcoming McCartney III album – due out December 11.

If you are a collector of rare audio then hidden in amongst what, at first glance, looks like a merchandising onslaught are four bonus “secret demo” tracks. But to get them you have to buy four more copies of the main McCartney III CD. And as you’ll see there are LOTS of permutations….

It’s all a bit confusing. We’ll try to unpack it for you starting with what is available on the official US McCartney Store site (because it’s different on the UK McCartney store site).

First thing to get clear in your head are the colours: white, red, blue and yellow.

For example, on the US store you can buy a box containing a McCartney III white cover, store-exclusive mini-jacket CD (that includes one secret bonus demo track unique to that white cover CD), plus one of the following: a white McCartney III dice set in a pouch; a white McCartney III t-shirt; a white McCartney III cap; or a white McCartney III face mask.

These box sets are obviously custom printed, but also seem to be specially made to hold the CD too. If you look closely there is a black cardboard slot inside that surrounds the CD. It’s got an opening on the right hand side to get your finger in to neatly lift out the cover: If you prefer red you can buy a box containing a McCartney III red cover, store-exclusive mini-jacket CD (that includes one secret bonus demo track unique to that red cover CD), plus one of the following: a red McCartney III cap; a red McCartney III dice set in a pouch; a red McCartney III face mask; or a red McCartney III t-shirt.

And so on for the blue and yellow boxed CDs and merch.

Note however that each colour has a different McCartney III logo. (The pouch and logo for the dice sets remain the same though. Click on the image below for a larger version):

So, that means for the extremely keen collector of merchandise and audio you’d have to buy 16 boxes to get absolutely every variation – but, you still only end up with the same 4 “secret bonus demo tracks”.

Staying on the US site, if audio is your main thing, for US$7.33 you can purchase separately each of the four secret demo edition store-exclusives as mini-jacket CDs. These are the same as those in the merch-related box sets above. We believe (but it’s not definitive at this point) that the CDs contain the standard CD track listing, plus one unique demo for each colour. Here’s the yellow example. As you can see it comes in a simple card sleeve cover only – no booklet, etc:Or, for US$14.33, you can purchase separately each of the four secret demo colour-coded editions in what is described as a “Deluxe Edition” softpak CD cover. These we presume are similar to the standard retail CD packaging and will come with a gatefold and booklet. The yellow example is shown below and this would also contain the standard CD tracklisting plus the unique “yellow” secret bonus demo track:

So, for the absolute US completist they’d also have to buy four more copies of this CD to have every possible permutation.

It’s interesting that no details have been given about the titles of the four demo tracks. I guess that’s why they are secret!

Meanwhile, over at the UK McCartney store, the offer is slightly different. There, if you purchace one of the four coloured merchandise boxes on offer, you get all the merchandise (plus your CD colour of choice) in one box.

For example, if you order the white box it will bundle together the white cover, store-exclusive mini-jacket CD (including the “white cover” secret bonus demo track), the white dice set, white t-shirt, white cap, and white McCartney III face mask:

Likewise the red, blue and yellow bundles.

Also, unlike the US store, at the UK store you can’t get the simple card sleeve coloured versions separately, you only have the “Deluxe Edition” softpak CD on offer. But you can get just the red tee if you want, or just the blue dice, or just the yellow face mask. No need to get the bundle if you don’t want to.

On fan blogs and forums fans are debating this new announcement, not only trying to nut out all the confusing variations but also asking the question why? There are now 10 CD variations. Why so many permutations? And why make us buy multiple copies of the CD to add these four tracks of bonus materials to our collections?

One astute observer probably has it correct: “The whole reason for this is to juice the first-week sales of the ALBUM. Selling a CD single won’t do that. Between the four CD versions here, the green one, the regular one and the black/white/red/green/cokebottle/[blue]/pink vinyl versions (not even counting the yellow one, because hardly anyone got it), some members here will likely have purchased 5-10 copies of this EACH! Hello, Billboard…”

It’s not so much about money (though no doubt that plays a factor) – it’s about trying to get a Number 1 album on the charts the first week the record goes on sale.

Check out McCartney’s Twitter feed too.

‘We All Stand Together’ Unboxing and 4K Premiere

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Paul McCartney’s faithful re-issue of his 1984 die-cut single ‘We All Stand Together’ is now out. It’s been done for the 100th anniversary of the cartoon character Rupert the Bear.

Paul Sinclair over at Super Deluxe Edition has done a video unboxing of how it looks:

McCartney has also issued on YouTube a newly-restored 4K version of the 1984 animated short film Rupert and the Frog Song. It was written and produced by Paul McCartney and directed by animator Geoff Dunbar:

Just out of interest we dragged out our copies of the original 1984 UK black vinyl 7″ single, and also the shaped picture disc. The black vinyl came in this picture sleeve:

The 1984 shaped picture disc came in a clear plastic cover:The sleeve is colour printed on the outside:Sadly, the shaped picture disc inside is showing definite signs of age. The clear vinyl is yellowing quite a bit in places.  Here’s the A-side:

And the B-Side (note the yellowing around the edges):

Compare this to the 2020 edition:

 

McCartney III – There’ll be a Cassette

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Had to happen I guess. Paul McCartney can be fond of anachronistic formats.

It’s just been announced that there’ll be a cassette edition of his forthcoming McCartney III solo album. It’s due, along with the nine (and counting) coloured vinyl editions, plus two CD versions, on December 11:He did this for his last studio release, Egypt Station, and for a Record Store Day rarity ‘demos’ cassette at the time of the Flowers in the Dirt Archive Collection release.

 

McCartney III – It’s Official and the Many Different Vinyl Versions Emerge

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It is now official, and here is the news release.

Like Egypt Station before it, this latest Paul McCartney LP McCartney III will be offered in a multitude of variations. Absolute completist collectors will be driven to distraction!

First variation to be offered for pre-order today will probably become the most sought after, and the rarest.

It will be pressed at Jack White’s Third Man Records pressing plant in Detroit, Michigan. Known as the ‘333 Edition’, this is limited to 333 copies only, pressed on ‘yellow-with-black-dots’ vinyl:

This vinyl is created by recycling 33 vinyl copies of old McCartney and McCartney II LP’s. The special “regrind” pressing, the first version of McCartney’s third self-titled solo album available for purchase, is hand-numbered, comes in an exclusive screen-printed jacket, and contains a printed inner sleeve and poster.

Just how Jack White’s company became the first to offer this brand new Paul McCartney recording to the world – even before McCartney’s own website store had the same thing on offer, only in red vinyl – remains a mystery. Not surprisingly the 333 copies sold out within minutes:

Next up in the rarity stakes is another Third Man Records pressing, offered a little bit later in the day exclusively on the official US Paul McCartney Store website:

This is described on the site as a “Hand-numbered gatefold featuring photography by Mary McCartney, Sonny McCartney and Paul McCartney (it’s a family affair!). Limited-edition (3000 units worldwide) store exclusive made in collaboration with Third Man Records,180g red vinyl disc with printed inner disc sleeve and a 12” x 18” insert poster.” Again, this is showing as “SOLD OUT”.

Both these pressings are distinguished by a prominent yellow Third Man Records logo on the front cover.

There is also a non-Third Man red vinyl pressing. This is a limited edition available on the official UK Paul McCartney Store site:

This is presented in a gatefold cover and is limited to 3000 units worldwide as a “store exclusive” in 180g red vinyl. It comes with a printed inner disc sleeve and the 12” x 18” insert poster. Also listed as “SOLD OUT” at the moment. However, it is still available in Europe at the German UMe online store Bravado. The difference between this and the UK listing is that the German red vinyl is in a hand-numbered gatefold cover with poster.

Interestingly, the MusicVaults store in Canada (a UMe subsidiary) also had this version on sale briefly. It too was listed as “SOLD OUT”.

Then came news of a white vinyl edition, exclusive to independent record stores. Rumoured to be limited to 4000 copies in the USA, and 3000 copies in the UK. It comes in a hand-numbered cover and includes a poster. Try your local independent store for this one:

Newbury Comics in the United States has a pink vinyl exclusive:

After this came the bigger chain stores who bagan offering their coloured vinyl variants. Target in the US is to have an exclusive green vinyl:

They also have an exclusive Target-only cover for the CD version:

And, here in Australia, the big chain JB Hi Fi is to offer an exclusive blue limited edition:

Like Target US, the Aussie store will also have the CD outer cover available to pre-order in an exclusive colour variant (the same as the Target US one actually!):

The “exclusive” blue vinyl version is also being made available in the UK via the HMV chain of stores, at FNAC in France and at JPC in Germany. Looks like these aren’t 180 gram vinyl and don’t come with the poster.

And the anomaly of the group – again, like they did with Egypt Station – there’s a “Coke bottle” clear vinyl edition being made availble associated with the streaming music company Spotify. I don’t reallly get why vinyl records are being marketed by streaming music companies, but maybe that’s just me? Anyway, this too is “SOLD OUT” on the McCartney Store site. But, if you live in Australia it is still available here.

But of course, if you can’t get your hands on any coloured vinyl there’s always the humble, plain old 180 gram black vinyl, in a gatefold cover:

 

McCartney III – Rumours and Expectations Build

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It’s looking more and more as though Paul McCartney’s rumored third “one-man-band” album, McCartney III is set for a release announcement very shortly.

It kind of makes sense. Like everyone, Paul has been in isolation and no doubt has been in his home studio a lot as a result.

His long-time lead guitarist Rusty Anderson, who’s been recording and performing with McCartney since 2001, appeared on the Tone-Talk! podcast at the end of September and pretty much confirmed the McCartney solo set saying: “Paul said that he — ’cause we’ve been hangin’ in Covid — he basically, kind of, finished a record. ‘Cause he had, sort of, nothin’ to do but go down to his studio and record, y’know? So, he sort of, did everything himself. I think there’s a song that we ended up on, that we cut earlier.”

And, as he’s done in the past, McCartney is using his considerable social media presence – and streaming services – to drop subtle (and not-so-subtle) hints.

For example, if you play any song from McCartney or McCartney II on Spotify at the moment a hand continually picks up a dice and rolls a three:

That “dice” motif is continued in a low-key way on his official Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts. Here’s Twitter:

Here’s Insta:

And of course Facebook, where he’s promoting that Spotify playlist (which is all tracks where Paul plays all the instruments), and it states: “It’s coming up, it’s coming up, it’s coming up like a flower…”, and the dice with the THREE is there again.

Then there’s the obvious symmetry to the release years for McCartney, McCartney II, and a potential McCartney III = 1970/1980/2020.

I think we can expect an announcement soon. And that it will be a December, 2020 release.

What do you think?

Drop us a line in the Comments section below.

Paul McCartney’s ‘We All Stand Together’ 7″ Picture Disc

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Well, here we all were, waiting for something like a Plastic Ono Band 50th anniversary deluxe re-issue, or maybe even a big All Things Must Pass 50th anniversary box set.

Heck, some fans were even speculating about an LP of brand new solo music from Paul McCartney that had supposedly been recorded in lockdown. They’d even given it a title already: McCartney III….

But which announcement did we get?

To mark what would have been the 100th anniversary of the cartoon character Rupert the Bear on November 6 we’ll be getting this:

Now, we’re not against novelty items like this. Not at all. Nor are we against Paul McCartney’s dedicated support of the art of animation over the years. It’s great. But ‘We All Stand Together’ by Paul McCartney and the Frog Chorus is a very long way away from the Plastic Ono Band album, or George Harrison’s triple LP opus All Things Pass. I guess it’s a case of expectation meeting reality…..

Having said all that, ‘We All Stand Together’ (a.k.a. ‘The Frog Song’) is really quite sweet and beautifully orchestrated and produced by George Martin. This limted edition 7″ single cut-out shaped picture disc will be a faithfull reproduction of the original shaped picture disc that came out in 1984. As then, it will accompany the re-release (in lovely 4K quality, and with a new audio mix) of the short animated film Rupert and the Frog Song that McCartney began work on in 1981 with animator Geoff Dunbar. In it Paul voices the character of Rupert.

‘We All Stand Together’ has been remastered at Abbey Road Studios by Alex Wharton along with the B-side instrumental ‘We All Stand Together (Humming Version)’, which was also included on the original release.

The single features The King’s Singers and the choir of St Paul’s Cathedral.

‘We All Stand Together’ is available for pre-order now, and the cleaned up film Rupert and the Frog Song will be re-released on YouTube on November 6.

Beatle Music Collecting in the age of COVID

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Does anyone remember when Paul McCartney’s Flaming Pie – the Archive Collection Edition – was officially released?

Oh yeah, it was back on Friday, July 31. Seems like such a long time ago now.

It was officially announced on June 12:Back then, just after that first announcement, we posted this article on some of the items the forthcoming deluxe box set would contain, some of the rarities that’ve previously been released only as B-sides, etc.

It was an exiting time, expectation was building and we dutifully pre-ordered from the Paul McCartney official store site.

Well, it’s now September 3 and we are still waiting for our box set and LP’s to be delivered here in Australia. I know these are weird times and we’re in the middle of a pandemic, but patience is running a little thin.

Things were looking really good early on. The day after the official release, August 1, we got this hopeful email:

It’s on its way! But the helpful tracking info soon revealed that it didn’t get very far.

When you think about Paul McCartney and his “store”, you tend to think it might be in Britain. But no, our box was coming from the USA. By August 11 the package had been “received by the partner carrier” and, from what we can tell, was taken to a loading facitlity in New York. We guess this was somewhere near one of the big airports, either John F. Kennedy or La Guardia. And there it sat. And sat.   

The package didn’t move from this spot for so long we wrote to Customer Service at the McCartney store. To their credit they responded immediately saying it had “….probably missed a scan somewhere”, and assured us that our Flaming Pie goodies were indeed making progress.

It took until August 22 for the tracking site to register that the package had finally “Departed Terminal Location”. Woo hoo! Progress.

On August 29 we got a note it had in fact arrived in Australia.

In Perth.

On the other side of the country.

Australia is a lot bigger than most people realise. We’re talking 3,280 kilometers or 2038 miles away by air.And as of today, five days later, that’s where it remains. So close, yet so far.

I know. First World Problems. It’s only music, and in the scheme of things a tiny inconvenience. Everyone is trying their hardest, trying to keep things as normal as possible. And the number of flights between the USA and Australia is now severely curtailed, while the number of people seeking home delivery for just about everything has risen exponentially. Times are tough.

But is anyone else in the same boat as us and still waiting for their Flaming Pie to be delivered? Let us know in the comments box below.

McCartney Flaming Pie – Unboxing

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As usual, the Super Deluxe Edition site has provided one of the most comprehensive unboxing videos of Flaming Pie, the new Paul McCartney Archive Collection release.

It is shown in all its variations and in all its glory, from the humble 2 CD through to the mammoth (and expensive) Collector’s Edition.

Check it out here: