Wings

Wings, also known as Paul McCartney and Wings, were a rock band formed in 1971 by former Beatle Paul McCartney with his wife Linda McCartney, session drummer Denny Seiwell, and former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine. Wings were noted for frequent personnel changes as well as commercial success, going through three lead guitarists and four drummers. However, the core trio of the McCartneys and Laine remained intact throughout the group's existence.

Created following the McCartneys' 1971 album Ram, the band's first two albums, Wild Life and Red Rose Speedway (the latter featuring guitarist Henry McCullough), were less successful than Paul McCartney's work with the Beatles. After the release of the title track of the James Bond movie Live and Let Die, McCullough and Seiwell resigned from the band. The McCartneys and Laine then released 1973's Band on the Run, a commercial and critical success that spawned two top ten singles in "Jet" and the title track. Following the album, the band recruited guitarist Jimmy McCulloch and drummer Geoff Britton (who shortly after joining quit the band, being replaced by Joe English), releasing the Venus and Mars album in 1975 (including the US number one single "Listen to What the Man Said".) Their next album, Wings at the Speed of Sound, was intended by the band to be more of a group effort, featuring the hit singles "Silly Love Songs" and "Let 'Em In."

In 1977, the band earned a UK number one single in "Mull of Kintyre," becoming the then-best selling UK single in history. However, Wings once again experienced another line-up shuffle, with both McCulloch and English quitting the band. With this change, Wings released 1978's London Town, the second Wings album only featuring the McCartneys and Laine. The band once again added new members, adding guitarist Laurence Juber and drummer Steve Holley. The resulting album, Back to the Egg, was a relative flop, with its singles under-performing and the critical reception negative. During the supporting tour, Paul McCartney was arrested in Japan for cannabis possession, putting the band on hold. Although the band had a final US number one in the live-version of Paul McCartney's solo single, "Coming Up," Wings finally broke up in 1981.

Links To Peel
Throughout the late 1960s Peel retained his high opinion of the Beatles, playing their new records as they appeared, and after the band split up in 1970 their solo records also featured in his playlists, especially Paul's solo and Wings musical outputs. However by the mid 70's when punk became influential, Peel lost interest in Wings' career and rarely played any of their music, even after they split up.

Shows Played
1972 1973 1976
 * 12 May 1972: Little Woman Love (single b-side Mary Had A Little Lamb) Apple
 * 23 May 1972: Little Woman Love (single b-side Mary Had A Little Lamb) Apple
 * 15 May 1973: One More Kiss (LP – Red Rose Speedway) Apple
 * 18 December 1973: 'Jet (LP-Band On The Run)' (Apple/Emi)
 * 20 August 1976: 'Band On the Run / Jet (LP-Band On The Ryn)' (Apple)