Artist

Wings

Paul McCartney’s band

United Kingdom • 1971 – 1981

Wings is a music group from United Kingdom, active 1971–1981. Their discography on Gatefold includes 24 records.

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Albums tracked

582

In collections

1971

Since

Biography

There is more than one artist sharing the name Wings; 1) Paul McCartney and Wings (also known by their original name Wings) was a British–American rock band formed in 1971 by former Beatle Paul McCartney, his wife Linda McCartney on keyboards, session drummer Denny Seiwell, and former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine. Wings were noted for frequent personnel changes along with their commercial successes, going through three lead guitarists and four drummers.

The Arc of Wings

The pivots — what forced Wings to reinvent.

The Wild Life Scramble
After the ramshackle charm of his early solo stuff, Paul grabbed Denny Laine and Denny Seiwell to see if he could still function in a democratic unit. They cut the first record in about a week, trying to capture a loose, unrehearsed energy that backfired with critics who wanted 'Sgt. Pepper' part two. You can hear the struggle to find an identity on those early tracks, caught between being a pub rock band and a massive pop machine. It was a messy, public rehearsal for the greatness that hit once they actually learned each other's cues.
The Lagos Trio
When Henry McCullough and Denny Seiwell quit right before the flight to Nigeria, the band was reduced to just Paul, Linda, and Denny Laine. They showed up at an EMI studio in Lagos that was half-finished and lacking basic gear, forcing Paul to play the drums himself on the entire record. That stripped-back desperation resulted in 'Band on the Run,' a record where the rhythm section feels lean and hungry because it had to be. It proved Wings could survive as a core unit without the bloated arrangements of their peers.
The Arena Juggernaut
By the time they hit the road for the 'Wings over the World' tour, they had added Jimmy McCulloch’s aggressive lead guitar and Joe English on drums to beef up the sound. This was the era of the 'Wings at the Speed of Sound' sessions, where McCartney tried to prove it was a real democracy by giving everyone a lead vocal. The production got slicker, the horn sections got louder, and the live shows became massive spectacles that finally moved them out of the shadow of the Apple Records era. It was the peak of their commercial powers, even if the songwriting started to get a bit too polished for its own good.

Influences

Little Richard — Paul's entire rock vocal range was built on the foundation of 'Long Tall Sally,' which Wings frequently used to close out their live sets. You hear that shredded, high-register holler on tracks like 'I've Already Said' and the heavier moments of 'Venus and Mars.' Without that Georgia holler, McCartney is just a ballad singer.
The Beach Boys — The vocal layering on 'Silly Love Songs' is a direct lift from the Brian Wilson school of counterpoint and stacked harmonies. McCartney famously cited 'Pet Sounds' as the primary motivator for his melodic evolution during the sixties and carried that obsession into every Wings bridge. It’s the difference between a simple pop tune and a complex vocal arrangement.
Buddy Holly — McCartney bought the publishing rights to Holly’s catalog and organized 'Buddy Holly Week' festivals throughout the Wings era. The crisp, down-stroke guitar rhythm on 'Junior's Farm' is a straight line back to the Crickets. It’s that 1950s simplicity masquerading as 1970s power pop.
The Moody Blues — Denny Laine was a founding member of the Moodies and brought that early British R&B and folk-rock sensibility to the Wings lineup. His presence allowed Paul to experiment with the multi-part song structures seen on 'Band on the Run.' He was the only guy in the room who could tell Paul 'no' and actually get him to listen.
Fats Domino — The rolling, New Orleans piano style on 'Let 'Em In' and several other mid-tempo Wings tracks comes directly from Paul's obsession with Fats. He’s admitted in interviews that 'Lady Madonna' was a Fats Domino tribute, and that shuffle beat stayed in his DNA all through the seventies. It’s the backbone of his rhythmic feel on the keys.