McGear (album)
Encyclopedia
McGear is the second solo album by English singer Mike McGear, released in 1974.
The album was a collaboration
between McGear and his older brother Paul McCartney
, who produced the record. All tracks on the album are performed by McCartney's band Wings
, although all lead vocals are sung by McGear. At the time, McGear had just left his group Grimms
, and McCartney was waiting for his Apple Records
contract to expire. Because of Apple contract issues, McCartney was originally not credited as a performer.
Although the original intent had just been to record a single ("Leave It"), the project mushroomed into an entire album before the single was released. The album was recorded at 10cc
's Strawberry Studios
, except for "Leave It", which was recorded at Abbey Road Studios
. "Leave It" reached #36 in the UK singles chart.
The front cover shows Mike captured like Gulliver
, surrounded by little black and white people. Included in the people are pictures of the band members, as well as a childhood picture of Paul and Mike.
When Warner Brothers signed McGear and Badfinger
to quite a bit of fanfare, coinciding with McCartney's Apple contract nearing expiration, there was quite a bit of rumour at the time suggesting that Warners was trying to interest McCartney in signing with them.
In 1991, McGear was re-released by Rykodisc
in the U.S. with a previously unreleased version of the disco
song "Dance The Do" as a bonus track. In 1992, McGear was re-released by See For Miles Records
in the U.K. with two bonus tracks, "Dance The Do" and "Sweet Baby," which had been the B-side of "Leave It." The liner notes quote McGear as saying that "Sweet Baby" had originally been named "All My Lovin'" but "some other group
had already done one with that name
."
, except where noted.
CD Bonus Tracks:
The album was a collaboration
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
between McGear and his older brother Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, who produced the record. All tracks on the album are performed by McCartney's band Wings
Wings (band)
Wings were a British-American rock group formed in 1971 by Paul McCartney, Denny Laine and Linda McCartney that remained active until 1981....
, although all lead vocals are sung by McGear. At the time, McGear had just left his group Grimms
Grimms
GRIMMS was an English pop rock, skit and poetry group, originally formed as a merger of The Scaffold, the Bonzo Dog Band, and the Liverpool Scene for two concerts in 1971 at the suggestion of John Gorman...
, and McCartney was waiting for his Apple Records
Apple Records
Apple Records is a record label founded by The Beatles in 1968, as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston...
contract to expire. Because of Apple contract issues, McCartney was originally not credited as a performer.
Although the original intent had just been to record a single ("Leave It"), the project mushroomed into an entire album before the single was released. The album was recorded at 10cc
10cc
10cc are an English art rock band who achieved their greatest commercial success in the 1970s. The band initially consisted of four musicians -- Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme -- who had written and recorded together for some three years, before assuming the "10cc" name...
's Strawberry Studios
Strawberry Studios
-Formation:The facility was originally called Inner City Studios and located above a music store in the town centre. In early 1968 it was bought by Peter Tattersall, a former road manager for Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas. Tattersall invited Eric Stewart – then lead guitarist and singer of...
, except for "Leave It", which was recorded at Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
. "Leave It" reached #36 in the UK singles chart.
The front cover shows Mike captured like Gulliver
Lemuel Gulliver
Lemuel Gulliver is the protagonist and narrator of Gulliver's Travels, a novel written by Jonathan Swift, first published in 1726.-In Gulliver's Travels:...
, surrounded by little black and white people. Included in the people are pictures of the band members, as well as a childhood picture of Paul and Mike.
When Warner Brothers signed McGear and Badfinger
Badfinger
Badfinger were a British rock band consisting originally of Pete Ham, Ron Griffiths, Mike Gibbins and Tom Evans, active from 1968 to 1983, and evolving from The Iveys, formed by Ham, Griffiths and David "Dai" Jenkins in Swansea, Wales, in the early 1960s. Joey Molland joined the group in 1969,...
to quite a bit of fanfare, coinciding with McCartney's Apple contract nearing expiration, there was quite a bit of rumour at the time suggesting that Warners was trying to interest McCartney in signing with them.
In 1991, McGear was re-released by Rykodisc
Rykodisc
Rykodisc Records is an American record label. It is owned by Warner Music Group, operates as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.-Company history:...
in the U.S. with a previously unreleased version of the disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
song "Dance The Do" as a bonus track. In 1992, McGear was re-released by See For Miles Records
See For Miles Records
See for Miles Records is a British record label which distributed some of the records of Dandelion Records on CD in the 1990s. The name hints both to its owner Colin Miles and The Who's "I Can See for Miles."...
in the U.K. with two bonus tracks, "Dance The Do" and "Sweet Baby," which had been the B-side of "Leave It." The liner notes quote McGear as saying that "Sweet Baby" had originally been named "All My Lovin'" but "some other group
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
had already done one with that name
All My Loving
"All My Loving" is a song by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney , from the 1963 album With The Beatles. Though it was not released as a single in the United Kingdom or the United States, it drew considerable radio airplay, prompting EMI to issue it as the title track of an EP...
."
Track listing
All songs by Mike McGear & Paul McCartneyPaul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, except where noted.
- "Sea Breezes" (Bryan FerryBryan FerryBryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
) -4:52 - "What Do We Really Know?" (McCartney) -3:28
- "Norton" -2:35
- "Leave It" (McCartney) -3:44
- "Have You Got Problems?" -6:16
- "The Casket" (McCartney/Roger McGoughRoger McGoughRoger Joseph McGough CBE is a well-known English performance poet. He presents the BBC Radio 4 programme Poetry Please and records voice-overs for commercials, as well as performing his own poetry regularly...
) -4:19 - "Rainbow Lady" -3:26
- "Simply Love You" -2:47
- "Givin' Grease A Ride" -5:35
- "The Man Who Found God On The Moon" -6:26
CD Bonus Tracks:
- "Dance The Do" -3:53
- "Sweet Baby" -3:47*
- Only on the 1992 reissue.
Personnel
- Mike McGear: Vocals.
- Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
: Bass, guitars, keyboards, vocals. - Linda McCartneyLinda McCartneyLinda Louise McCartney, Lady McCartney was an American photographer, musician and animal rights activist. Her father and mother were Lee Eastman and Louise Sara Lindner Eastman....
: Moog, piano, vocals - Denny LaineDenny LaineDenny Laine is an English songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, guitarist, and lead singer of The Moody Blues' 1965 debut album "The Magnificent Moodies"; and, later, best known for his role as co-founder of Wings...
: Electric guitars, vocals. - Jimmy McCullochJimmy McCullochJames 'Jimmy' McCulloch was a Scottish musician and songwriter, born in Dumbarton and raised in Clydebank and Cumbernauld, Scotland, who was best known for playing lead guitar in Paul McCartney's Wings from 1974 to 1977...
: Electric guitars. - Gerry ConwayGerry Conway (musician)Gerald Conway is an English folk and rock drummer/percussionist, best known for having performed with the backing band for Cat Stevens in the 1970s, Jethro Tull during the 1980s, and currently a member of Fairport Convention as well as his side projects...
: Drums, percussion. - Denny Seiwell: Drums, percussion (on "Leave It").
- Brian JonesThe UndertakersThe Undertakers were a British beat group, contemporaries of The Beatles and a leading group in the Merseybeat music scene of the early 1960s.-Band members:Their best known line-up was:*Jackie Lomax *Chris Huston...
: Saxophones. - Tony CoeTony CoeAnthony George Coe is a composer and jazz musician who plays clarinet, bass clarinet, and tenor saxophone.Coe began his performing career playing with Humphrey Lyttelton's band from 1957 to 1962...
: Saxophones (on "Leave It"). - Paddy MoloneyPaddy MoloneyPaddy Moloney is one of the founders of the Irish musical group The Chieftains and has played on every one of their albums.He was born in Donnycarney in Dublin. His mother bought him a tin whistle when he was six and at the age of eight he started to learn the Uilleann pipes. He also plays button...
: Aeolian pipes (on "The Casket"). - The Halle Orchestra, arranged & conducted by Gerry Allison.