BRONZE AWARD...........Band On The Run...........Wings....1973

[gryphon]

Nomination………………..Band On The Run..........Wings

With his back up against the wall , a writer’s block that seems to last much longer than it should, live success that can’t seem to be turned into recording success, George and Ringo out ahead of him and John being just a touch sarcastic at times, Macca headed out to EMI Lagos.
Three people Paul , Linda and Denny, hot African skies and then the rain, an eccentric recording set up and then............................Well !the rain exploded with a mighty crash as we head out to the sun!!!!
The band established a routine of recording during the week and playing tourist on the weekends. Paul temporarily joined a country club where he would spend most mornings. The band would be driven to the studio in the early afternoon where recording would last into the late evening and sometimes early morning. To make up for the departed band members, Paul would play drums and lead guitar parts with Denny playing rhythm guitar and Linda adding keyboards.
More incidents would plague Wings' Lagos stay. While out walking one night against advice, Paul and Linda were robbed at knifepoint. The assailants made away with all of their valuables and even stole a bag containing a notebook full of handwritten lyrics and songs, and cassettes containing demos for songs to be recorded. On another occaision, Paul was laying down a vocal track when he began gasping for air. According to Geoff Emerick, Sound Engineer for the album: "Within seconds, [Paul] turned as white as a sheet, explaining to us in a croaking voice that he couldn't catch his breath. We decided to take him outside for some fresh air...[but] once he was exposed to the blazing heat he felt even worse and began keeling over, finally fainting dead away at our feet. Linda began screaming hysterically; she was convinced that he was having a heart attack...The official diagnosis was that he had suffered a bronchial spasm brought on by too much smoking.[5]" Another incident was the confrontation with local Afrobeat star and political activist Fela Ransome-Kuti who publicly accused the band of being in Africa to exploit and steal African music after their visit to his club. Ransome-Kuti even went to the studio to confront McCartney who played their songs for him proving that they contained no local influence whatsoever. So says Wiki

This is not the majestic end to The Beatles that as Abbey Road , this is the birth of credibility of the solo Paul.

Tracks :
[FONT=&quot]
Side one[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]"[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Band on the Run[/FONT][FONT=&quot]" [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot].[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]"[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Jet[/FONT][FONT=&quot]" [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Bluebird" [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]"Mrs Vandebilt" [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot].[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]"[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Let Me Roll It[/FONT][FONT=&quot]" [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
Side two[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]No.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Mamunia[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
No Words[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]:[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]"[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Helen Wheels[/FONT][FONT=&quot]" [/FONT][FONT=&quot](US and international only; not UK)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]"[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me)[/FONT][FONT=&quot]" [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five[/FONT][FONT=&quot]" [/FONT]



So what’s special? Well, every track here, is a winner……………..They are played in a relaxed fashion but, have drive and finesse…………………..IN short Paul came good!

[Tiggi]

Yup, Griff, gets my vote.

[SteveO]

Count me in !!!!

[CRAZY-HORSE]

you got my vote too!

[bahama]

Love this album. Was listening to a lot of radio back at this time and brings back a ton of memories

[Jerome]

Me too! The album that made me sit up and take notice of a strange device called the Moog synthesizer. Just love that bit that Linda does on the title track. Always gives me the shivers.

[Big Ears]

Band On the Run was the best album the Beatles never made.