If you don’t believe there are collectors out there intent on having every single variation, then think again:
This is a photograph from the collection of one of our readers and contributors – Guy from the USA. Guy has managed to secure no less than 16 different McCartney III colour variants, and 10 different McCartney III Imagined double LPs.
You can check them off against our two guides to all the known variants below (they include CDs and cassettes – which Guy also has BTW!). Click on the images to enlarge:
Well, we knew that all the previous marketing for McCartney III (and McCartney III Imagined) has revolved around the number 3.
After all, the first (and very limited) release of McCartney III was made at Jack White’s Third Man Records. Symbolically, 333 copies were pressed. Then came the myriad of coloured vinyl editions, many limited to 3000 copies (again to tie into the 3 theme). There were also the dice sets you could buy from the official McCartney store, which had the number 3 on all sides, etc, etc.
So the marketing gurus thought (no doubt over a long lunch), “Why not celebrate 3 years since McCartney III came out with yet another limited edition? And while we’re at it, let’s not make it just one limited edition, but three limited editions!”
Yes. Three morevariations will be joining the 32 iterations already out there of this title across vinyl, CD, and cassette. That’s right, we said 32 variations (see the table below).
Today the McCartney camp announced that the McCartney III 3×3 Edition will be joining them:
The idea is you place your order for a limited edition coloured vinyl disc. One of the three variations available will then be randomly selected and sent to you. Your LP will come in a newly designed Ed Ruscha cover. It will have a lyric printed inner sleeve plus an Ed Ruscha sketch poster for the cover design of McCartney III included:
Also randomly included will be a smaller replica Paul McCartney handwritten print. From the images released so far this will either be the handwritten lyric to ‘Pretty Boys’, ‘The Kiss of Venus’, or what looks like an early sketch of McCartney’s album logo/cover ideas.
So, to summarise: each customer gets 1 LP, a handwritten replica print and a poster in the newly designed cover, with the record in a lyric/credits inner sleeve. However, the colour of the LP and the print pairing is random. If you purchase more than one copy, the store won’t guarantee you will receive two or three different variants.
If you want to have all three unique colours and all three prints you will have to take your chances. Most stores are limiting pre-sales to 4 copies per customer. However, here in Australia the official store limit was initially set at two copies per customer (though this seems to have been removed entirely now).
At this stage we don’t know how “limited” these sets are.
McCartney III 3×3 Edition ships on December 15, 2023 (but for Australia make that January 12, 2024).
Do we really need another three McCartney III coloured vinyl in the world? No. Here’s our running total of all the variations to date (click on image to see a larger version):
The first YouTube unboxing of McCartney III 3×3? Got to admit, he was quick:
So sad to wake today and read the news that the great Denny Laine had passed away at the age of 79.
His wife, Elizabeth Hines, posted this message on social media:
My darling husband passed away peacefully early this morning. I was at his bedside, holding his hand as I played his favorite Christmas songs for him. He’s been singing Christmas songs the past few weeks and I continued to play Christmas songs while he’s been in ICU on a ventilator this past week.
He and I both believed he would overcome his health setbacks and return to the rehabilitation center and eventually home. Unfortunately, his lung disease, Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), is unpredictable and aggressive; each infection weakened and damaged his lungs. He fought everyday. He was so strong and brave, never complained. All he wanted was to be home with me and his pet kitty, Charley, playing his gypsy guitar.
Denny was so very thankful to all of you who sent him so much love, support and the many kind words during these past few months of his health crisis-it brought him to tears.
I thank you all for sending both of us love and support. It was my absolute honor and privilege to not only be his wife, but to care for him during his illness and vulnerability.
Thank you to Dennys surgeons, doctors, specialists, physical therapists and nurses at Naples Hospital for working so hard to help him. Thank you for your compassion and support for me during these past several emotional months.
My world will never be the same. Denny was an amazingly wonderful person, so loving and sweet to me. He made my days colorful, fun and full of life-just like him. Thank you sweetie for loving me, for all the laughter, friendship, fun and for asking me to be your wife. I will love you forever ❤️
Please give Denny’s friends and family the time and privacy needed as we grieve our loss.
To mark the 50th anniversary of its release in December of 1973, most fans were expecting an LP of Paul McCartney and Wings’Band On The Run in Half Speed Mastered form. This would follow the pattern of previous releases for McCartney, RAM, Wings Wild Life and, earlier this year, Red Rose Speedway.
What we didn’t expect was that Band On The Run would be accompanied by a whole bonus LP featuring previously unheard music that is being termed “underdubbed mixes”. In other words, early mixes without overdubs.
These “underdubs” aren’t newly created in 2023. They come from 1973 and were prepared by the album’s engineer, Geoff Emerick. They’re basically a previously unreleased mix of Band On The Run, but without any of the orchestral and string overdubs written by Tony Visconti that were used on the final release. Interestingly, the tracklisting for these “underdubbed mixes’ doesn’t follow the original sequencing of album. The bonus LP mirrors the original analogue tapes as discovered in the MPL archives (see the changed running order below).
“This is Band on the Run in a way you’ve never heard before. When you are making a song and putting on additional parts, like an extra guitar, that’s an overdub. Well, this version of the album is the opposite, underdubbed.”
There’ll be three physical releases for the 50th Anniversary, and these will be available from February 2, 2024.
You can get a stand-alone Half Speed Master of the original LP, cut from the original master tapes from 1973 by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios. The single vinyl album configuration mirrors the US tracklist, which added the song ‘Helen Wheels’ to the end of the LP. The 50th anniversary album includes the original inner sleeve and poster featuring a series of Polaroid photos taken by Linda McCartney during the making of Band On The Run :
Then there’s the 2 LP edition featuring the original US album, remastered at half speed as above, plus a second LP titled Underdubbed Mixes Edition. The two LPs are housed in a premium slipcase. The set includes two Linda McCartney Polaroid posters:
The 2 LP slipcase version can only be purchased from Universal Music’s own online stores around the world, as well as from Paul McCartney’s own online store.
And there’ll be a 2 CD set, with one disc containing the original US album, and a second disc with the “underdubbed” mixes. There’s a double-sided fold-out poster of Polaroids taken by Linda included:
Band on the Run (Underdubbed) will also be released digitally. The album itself has also been newly mixed in Dolby Atmos by Giles Martin and Steve Orchard – but there is no physical edition of this mix.
Here’s the running order for Disc Two – Band on the Run (Underdubbed Mixes):
1. Band on the Run 2. Mamunia 3. No Words 4.Jet 5. Bluebird 6. Mrs. Vandebilt 7. Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five 8. Picasso’s Last Words (Drink to Me) 9. Let Me Roll It
Ever heard of Yoto, the children’s educational toy?
Me either, until one of our readers named Tom pointed out that they exist, AND they have a couple of items that will be of keen interest to the absolute Beatle completists among us.
Yoto is a digital player that accepts specially pre-recorded cards (slightly larger than a credit card) which kids slot into the player to hear stories, podcasts, games and……..music:
The big news is that Yoto has just added two very special music cards.
Yoto describes the contents of their unique 12-track Red Album like this:
An introduction to The Beatles for kids. Enjoy timeless hits from their early years, 1962-1966.
Twelve special chosen tracks from the early years of The Beatles, 1962-1966. The perfect introduction for music-loving kids to the fab-four.
Discover the songs that broke them onto the world stage. Sing, dance and play along to these timeless classics, some of the most popular and indelible rock songs of all time.
Tracklist:
Love Me Do (2023 mix)
Please Please Me (2023 mix)
From Me To You (2023 mix)
She Loves You (2023 mix)
Can’t Buy Me Love (2023 mix)
Ticket To Ride (2023 mix)
I Want To Hold Your Hand (2023 mix)
If I Needed Someone (2023 mix)
Drive My Car (2023 mix)
Got To Get You Into My Life (2022 mix)
I’m Only Sleeping (2022 mix)
Yellow Submarine (2022 mix)
And their 12-track Blue Album like this:
An introduction to The Beatles for kids. Enjoy timeless hits from their later years, 1967-1970.
The second curated collection of tracks from the most iconic band of all time. Charting the later part of their career where they experimented with new sounds and created some songs that are loved across generations and around the world.
The perfect way to share music as a family and the ultimate inspiration for all the music-loving, dancing and singing little ones out there.
Tracklist:
Penny Lane (2017 Mix)
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (2017 Mix)
With A Little Help From My Friends (2017 Mix)
All You Need Is Love (2015 Mix)
Hello, Goodbye (2015 Mix)
Magical Mystery Tour (2023 Mix)
Hey Jude (2015 Mix)
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (2018 Mix)
Blackbird (2018 Mix)
Here Comes The Sun (2019 Mix)
Octopus’s Garden (2019 Mix)
Let It Be (2021 Mix)
But that’s not all the original Beatle content Yoto has. Also recently added is a unique Paul McCartney card, Say Hello To Paul McCartney:
Yoto says: Dance, sing and play along to a selection of songs, especially chosen for Yoto.
Say Hello To Paul McCartney is a unique collection of timeless songs from one of the greatest ever songwriters and performers. Paul McCartney has curated this collection of tracks from his legendary catalogue and it’s sure to get all of your family singing and dancing along.
Sway and jump to ‘Dance Tonight’, take a trip to the Scottish Coast with ‘Mull of Kintyre’ or sing along in chorus to ‘We All Stand Together’ – these and many more songs await you on this ultimate Yoto music card! This card also includes two tracks never before released on a music product – the ‘Hey Grandude’ and ‘Hey Nandude’ themes, from Paul’s highly acclaimed children’s books.
Tracklist:
Grandude Theme
Dance Tonight
Little Willow
Heart of the Country
Mary had a Little Lamb
We All Stand Together
Great Day
Mama’s Little Girl
Calico Skies
Let ‘Em In
Mull of Kintyre
Winter Bird, When Winter Comes
Who Cares
Nandude Theme
So, this is one way for you to get clean versions of two rare original McCartney tracks – the instrumental ‘Grandude Theme’ and ‘Nandude Theme’, taken from the audiobook recordings of his two children’s books Hey Grandude (2019), and Grandude’s Green Submarine (2021).
Sincere apologies if this news is going to cost you more money!
Techmoan has done a great video explaining just how these little players and the cards work (you don’t have to have a player):
Our readers Tom and Guy have both confirmed that you don’t need a stand alone Yoto player. The Yoto app can be downloaded for free to your phone, and a simple tap of the card gives you access to the contents. The cards are the size of a credit card:
One of the first truly feel-good moments to come out of the Got Back Tour to Australia so far came earlier this week when the City of Newcastle welcomed Paul McCartney to their town with a giant 160 square metre mural, painted on the side of a building by local artist Mitch Revs.
Paul made a spontaneous stop en route to his concert at the McDonald Jones Stadium to meet the artist, admire the work, sign it – and in the process draw a small but awe-struck crowd.
Mitch Revs, deeply moved by the experience, said: “Meeting Paul was surreal. His genuine nature and willingness to engage, even on a busy day, shows who he truly is. Forever grateful for this memory!”
Back in 2016 the knowledgeable hosts, Ryan Brady and Chris Mercer, set themselves the task of discussing, in detail, every single solo McCartney release. And they succeeded!
Understandably, the podcast went into a hiatus. How do you go on when one very talented half of the team has been taken away?
Well, the podcast is now re-emerging – as Take It Away: The Complete Solo Beatles Archive Podcast. Chris Mercer is joined by a new co-host and fellow Beatle nut, Paul Kaminski. Together they plan to expand the original brief to take in the solo careers of all four Beatles.
If you’re interested in The Beatles, Wings, or Paul McCartney the solo artist, then this could be the podcast for you.
The all-new Take It Away begins with a dive into the music of George Harrison. The first episode, ‘Beatle George’ (part one of two) is out now at your favourite podcast aggregator.
Chris and Paul write: “In this preamble to the next phase of the podcast, we’ll explore the origins of Harrison’s songwriting, musicianship and legacy, as the “quiet one” fights for his place amongst both his band mates and his musical contemporaries alike. We’ll chronicle every single (official) George Harrison Beatles songwriting contribution from the band’s beginnings up through 1967 in this first installment — an extensive deep dive you will not want to miss! Now, without further ado: take it away, George…”
Worth checking out.
Oh, and while we’re talking podcasts, just a reminder that the first two episodes in the brand new Paul McCartney and Paul Muldoon outing, A Life In Lyrics, will now be available for download from October 4. (Seems they missed the originally advertised September 20 release date for some unknown reason).
Over the weekend a dedicated new project to once and for all try to locate one of the most sought-after musical instruments of all time was launched.
It’s called The Lost Bass Project and it has been set up to find Paul McCartney’s lost 1961 Höfner bass guitar.
This is the bass McCartney played at the Top Ten Club in Hamburg in 1961, at the Cavern in Liverpool, and on those first Abbey Road recordings. This is the bass you hear on ‘Love Me Do’, ‘She Loves You’, and ‘Twist and Shout’. The bass that powered Beatlemania – and shaped the sound of the modern world.
But in late January 1969, when The Beatles were in London recording the ‘Get Back/Let It Be’ sessions, the 1961 Höfner 500/1 Violin Bass disappeared. It has not been seen since.
The Lost Bass Project is a global search dedicated to tracing the bass – and solving the greatest mystery in the history of rock and roll.
This morning on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s national Breakfast Show Scott Jones, one of the team behind The Lost Bass Project, said that already – just two days in from the launch – they’re getting information that will help lead them to the famous missing instrument. He’s speaking here to host, Patricia Karvelas:
To find out more visit the project’s comprehensive website. There you’ll find all the information you need to learn the story of the ’61 Höfner, keep up with the latest developments in the search, but most importantly how you can make a contribution if you think you might have another piece in the jigsaw puzzle that might help solve the case. Also, check out the official Höfner site.
The idea here is not to find it to make money. The idea is to finally get it back to it’s rightful owner.
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