Yesterday and Today

Little Wing feat. Paul Salley

The Beatles are a big act to follow - but with Wings, Paul McCartney set his sights on not just surviving in a post-fab world, but soaring in one. From dingy college campus shows and rainy tour bus nights, to the astronomical heights of Wings Over the World, Macca's grand experiment grew to become one of the biggest musical enterprises in the world by the end of 1976. While earlier incarnations of the band showed glimmers of their potential, it wasn't until 1974 and the addition of guitarist virtuoso Jimmy McCulloch, that the group was able to make manifest the kind of success even McCartney himself would be taken aback by. Jimmy's hard rocking sound and staggering musical ability was the perfect compliment to bandmates Paul, Linda, Denny and Joe for 3 chart-topping studio albums and a slew of hit singles. In the years since leaving Wings, followed by his tragic death shortly thereafter, Jimmy's contributions to this worldwide phenomenon were largely down-played - tinged with stories of conflict and substance abuse. But Jimmy McCulloch's full tale will at last be told in the upcoming book Little Wing: The Jimmy McCulloch Story, written by Jimmy's biographer and our guest on the show today, Mr. Paul Salley. Paul's book is a labor of love years in the making, compiling interviews with insiders, colleagues and family in an endeavor to set the record straight about Jimmy's life. On today's episode we'll chat with Paul about Jimmy's various groups, his songwriting successes and learn more about the Wings member often referred to as "the whiz kid". We'd like to thank Paul for joining us on the show today, and encourage everyone to check out his Little Wing fan page for more on Jimmy and updates on his forthcoming book. Take us down, Jimmy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’75 pt11

It's the end of 1975, and this transformative year in Beatles history would in many ways set a new standard for John, Paul, George and Ringo in the latter half of the decade to follow. George Harrison's latest single, This Guitar (Can't Keep From Crying), taken from his modestly successful Extra Texture LP, would be the last single released on the original Apple label, and subsequently fail to enter the billboard hot 100 singles chart. George may have entered the 1970's as a musical force to be reckoned with, but this disappointing showing cast some doubt upon the former fab's future commercial vitality. The Beatle to beat at the end of 1975 was the previously D.O.A Paul McCartney, whose group Wings were still running singles up the charts from their Venus & Mars album in December of 1975. Blocked from the Japanese leg of their wildly successful Wings Over the World tour, Paul and Linda returned home for the holidays to work on tracks for a heretofore unplanned Venus & Mars follow-up LP. The McCartneys also made time to stop by the Dakota building in New York City to pay a visit to John & Yoko, who were busy tending to the newborn Sean Ono Lennon when Paul and Linda arrived on their doorstep singing Christmas carols. The arrival of Sean signified a seismic shift in John's personal life - as Lennon had begun clearing the decks of work-related projects since the advent of Yoko's pregnancy earlier in the year. Ringo Starr, meanwhile, may not have had an album release in 1975, but his greatest hits compilation Blast From Your Past satiated fans for content heading into the Christmas season. The changes fortified in 1975 would continue on into the new year, and 1976 was poised to be a landmark for the heights of former Beatle success... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’75 pt10

Paul McCartney may have been the former Beatle with the most to prove in the early days following the Beatles' breakup...but by the latter half of 1975 McCartney and his group Wings were the band to beat from his former colleagues. A slew of hit singles and 2 consecutive top albums made Wings one of the most influential and relevant sounds of the mid 1970s, with no sign of the group slowing down as they rounded the corner into 1976. While on tour in Australia, the Wings sound truly reached fruition, with new members Jimmy McCulloch and Joe English adding their own distinct flavor to McCartney & his cohorts night after night in the land down under. From Adelaide to Kingsford to Brisbane to Melbourne, Wings seemed unstoppable in their pop dominance...but it was't until their attempted entry into Japan that the band would experience their first major setback and serendipitously their next big break... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’75 pt9

It's the fall of 1975 and George Harrison's new LP Extra Texture is the most current musical offering from the former Beatles. For many, this album was a step in the right direction from the drug and depression-tinged Dark Horse LP from the year prior, in which the rock-bottom of George's personal life seemed to make its way to record. From the toe-tapping You (the album's first single and a top 20 hit in the US) to Smokey Robinson inspired tracks like Can't Stop Thinking about You, to the downright irreverent His Name Is 'Legs' (Ladies and Gentlemen), Extra Texture showed the world a George Harrison that was slowing inching his way back to the heights of earlier in the decade. Paul McCartney was busy eyeing new heights as well, with a massive world tour underway for his band Wings - flying high on the success of their Venus & Mars album from earlier in the year. As the band made their way halfway around the world for the Australian leg of the Wings Over The World tour, Wings found itself on the cusp of power-pop domination not seen for any former Beatle since their touring heyday. But while Paul and George had renewed commercial success on the mind, John Lennon was busy welcoming a great personal success to the world. Sean Ono Lennon was born to proud parents John & Yoko on John's 35th birthday, October 9th, 1975. This warm moment of family and new possibilities stood in stark contrast to the disarray of Lennon's so-called "lost weekend" in years prior, and signaled yet another big change for John in the years to come... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

100th Episode Celebration!

We're celebrating 100 episodes of the Yesterday & Today Podcast! This over-sized anniversary spectacular is packed with special guests, special features, music, memories and more - and we can't wait for you all to hear it. On January 27th, 2018, the Yesterday & Today podcast went live for the first time, bringing to the internet airwaves a Beatles chronology over 20 years in the making. Now here we are, 100 episodes later, and we'd like to take this opportunity to thank our listeners with a special episode celebrating not only the life of the podcast, but the lives of the many Beatles fans who listen to our show. In this episode we'll hear from Wayne Kaminski, creator of the Yesterday & Today podcast, about how the project grew and evolved from its cassette tape beginnings in the early 90's - up through the latest remastering process you've been enjoying in each and every episode. But that's not all - we put out the call for fans of the show to submit their OWN special Beatles memories, and our lovely listeners from around the world answered that call and then some! In this special 100th episode celebration you'll hear from our wonderful audience, as well as from some very special guests - guests ranging from top Beatle podcasters to folks directly connected to the Beatle world and beyond! Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who listens to the show, and to those who contributed to our 100th episode celebration. A pleasant time is guaranteed for all! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’75 pt8

It's the fall of 1975, and the decade that brought so much music from the four former Beatles has reached its halfway point. It seems John, Paul, George and Ringo have each made peace with the band's demise, but big changes were still in store for their respective personal lives in the coming months. Paul McCartney was at the top of the singles and LP charts with his mega-hit Venus & Mars album and corresponding toe-tapper Listen To What The Man Said. Wings was flying so high, in fact, that the band embarked on an ambitious year-long World Tour, the first such tour from any former Beatle in a decade. As the Macca festivities kicked off in the UK, Ringo Starr was in attendance...albeit without his wife Maureen, who divorced Starr on the grounds of adultery in July. By contrast, John Lennon's once-rocky marriage to Yoko Ono was seemingly back in full swing, with the couple expecting their first child in the coming weeks. All recording for John would be halted in preparation for the baby, though Lennon's songwriting and creativity would blossom in other ways during the advent of this so-called "house-husband" period. George Harrison was finished recording as well, but not for long. On September 22nd Apple released the brand new LP Extra Texture, and its first single You was quick to make the top20. George's latest record was a step into the light from the dark and somber Dark Horse album, and Hari 's songs were at last back on track to mainstream appeal... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’75 pt7

It's summertime 1975 and the wave of Beatles nostalgia and reunion rumors that had persisted for several months prior is continuing to grip the world of popular music. With relations warm between John, Paul, George and Ringo -- and with Allen Klein out of the picture -- all seemed prime for the fab four to join forces once more...but short of a David Frost television tribute special, the public didn't have much tangible hope to cling to. Instead, a new phenomenon was brewing - one that had been picking up steam since the 1973 hit single My Love and continuing on into the smash success LP Band on the Run and beyond: the phenomenon known as Paul McCartney & WINGS. On May 30th, in conjunction with the chart-shaking new single Listen To What The Man Said, the new Wings LP Venus & Mars is released. For anyone who thought the aforementioned Band on the Run LP was a fluke, this new album from Paul, Linda, Denny, Jimmy and Joe soared to new heights, cementing the "Wings sound" and bringing the band to the precipice of global pop domination. The dream of the Beatles was still in the hearts of many, but few could argue with the unstoppable rock and roll machine that McCartney had spent the last 4 years building and honing. For the former Beatle who perhaps stumbled the hardest post-break-up, Macca was at last not only a solo force on his own, but a solo BRAND to be reckoned with... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’75 pt6

The spring of 1975 saw some of the most candid and nostalgia-laden interviews ever from each of the four former Beatles since their split over five years prior. First up on April 19th was George Harrison, talking with WNEW FM about everything from his plans for Dark Horse Records, to a brand new studio album, to his struggles with the rock music press - specifically those of the recent harsh reviews by Rolling Stone magazine. As Harrison details in the interview, Dark Horse Records was George's way of fulfilling the creative promise of the now-defunct Apple Records - which he and fellow former fab Ringo Starr had initially envisioned re-branding without the input of the reluctant Lennon and McCartney - as the emerging artist haven it was always intended to be. In lieu of a "re-envisioned" Apple Records, Ringo's new label Ring O'Records was itself still in the launch stage, similarly hoping to rekindle some of the magic that Apple had lost since the split of the band and their break with Allen Klein. John Lennon, meanwhile, continued his series of TV and radio appearances that year with an in-depth interview on Tom Snyder's Tomorrow Show, where the former Beatle spoke at length about his past, current status, and plans for the future. Similar in tone to George's WNEW talk, Lennon seemed eager to discuss the early influences of his life as a Beatle - yielding some of the most vivid recollections of those pre-fame Liverpool days ever captured on camera. Paul McCartney was making the press rounds as well, but the past was not the topic du jour for the high-flying Wings frontman. No, Macca was preparing a massive world tour and stood on the eve of the release of a brand new album, destined to be "Wings Greatest"... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’75 pt5

From the streets of New Orleans to the heat of Los Angeles, Paul McCartney and Wings were at last finished with Venus And Mars, the follow-up LP to the wildly successful 1973 Band On The Run album -- and it was time to celebrate! What ensued was a veritable who's who of the Los Angeles music scene partying heartily aboard the permanently-docked ocean liner The Queen Mary in Long Beach, California. Macca's staggering guest list (reminiscent of the Wings launch party 4 years prior) included such stars as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Marvin Gaye, The Faces, Phil Everly, The Jackson Five, Dean Martin, Tony Curtis, Cher, Derek Taylor and Mal Evans. Even former Beatle George Harrison, with girlfriend Olivia by his side, was in attendance to christen the latest Wings effort. Invited but absent from the festivities were John Lennon and Ringo Starr, who themselves had a busy schedule as the spring of 1975 slowly drew to a close. Ringo O'Records, the brand new label fronted by Starr, was in the midst of its first big promotional push. Meanwhile, John Lennon would formally take the stage for (what would turn out to be) the final show of his career -- performing a variety of songs including cuts from his new Rock And Roll record at the A Salute to Sir Lew Grade: The Master Showman televised gala. A third of the way through 1975 and John Lennon still seemed very much in the public eye, but a cancelled April 14th recording session would wind up being a telltale sign of things to come in as the decade progressed... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beatles ’75 pt4

It's March of 1975 and a flurry of activity is once again stirring in the world of John Lennon. Newly reunited with wife Yoko Ono and flying high off the heels of his successful Walls & Bridges and Rock And Roll LPs, the reinvigorated ex-Beatle was making preparations to enter the studio to record his next album of original material - tentatively titled Sally & Billy. The prolific John had a lot to be excited about, with new songs of his debuting that month on both David Bowie and Keith Moon's respective new LPs, as well as an extensive interview and live performance session on music haven The Old Grey Whistle Test. Absent from all of this was Paul McCartney, whose hopes for a reunion with Lennon during the New Orleans Wings recording sessions were dashed the month prior. While that meeting was not to meant be, relations remained warm between the Lennons and McCartneys - hope was indeed kept alive for a future collaboration between the two former partners. The Wings Venus & Mars sessions had since relocated to Malibu CA, where Paul and Linda again ran afoul of the law on a Marijuana possession charge when a routine traffic stop yielded a massive bag of weed found on Linda McCartney's person. While this latest altercation with the law resulted in a another slap on the wrist for the famous couple, Marijuana conviction complications would continue to complicate Wings' plans in the months to come. Meanwhile, George Harrison and his Dark Horse label pushed forward with a new single from Splinter, and Ringo Starr brought his new hit single The No No Song to NBC's Hoyt-Axton Boogie Woogie Gospel Rock and Roll Show. Over five years since the Beatles' split, John, Paul George and Ringo were all in the process of making 1975 their most prolific year yet... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.