" July 29, 2010 -- Wall Street Journal

Drinking along side Paul McCartney

This weekend we had house guests from California. We called Nick & Toni's, the insanely fashionable East Hampton restaurant, at the last minute and managed to get a table after asking for the manager. When we arrived, there was a crush of people waiting and a single open table in the front room. My guests, who are very fashion-conscious folks, were visibly annoyed when we were escorted to the back room. I shrugged and explained that the young woman who was seating us was new and unknown to me. I thought we were fairly lucky to have a table at all.

Ten minutes later Paul McCartney, accompanied by his girlfriend, sat down at the empty table next to ours. Suddenly the complaining stopped, which was a great relief to me. Sir Paul was looking remarkably young and fit, and girlfriend Nancy Shevell was fairly stunning, much more attractive in person than in the pages of the tabloids. She's fortunate to be dating one of the last men on the planet who actually stands up when a lady is coming or going from the table.

Unfortunately my friends were not drinking and Anne, as usual, was drinking Champagne. After ordering a glass of the '07 Dampt Chablis, I perused the half-bottle section of the list, curated by Robert Bohr, formerly of Cru, and now beverage director for Tom Colicchio's restaurants. There were several very intriguing bottles, including some good Burgundies, and I settled on the 2002 Faiveley Corton Clos de Corton, the signature wine of the large (by Burgundy standards) negotiant.

Although Faiveley buys grapes, they also have significant vineyard holdings, and the Clos de Corton is from their own vineyard. It was a brilliant wine, rich and ripe - a fairly heavy hitter as Burgundies go. I'm really liking these '02s, though this wine in the full-bottle format would require another few years.

Not long after I ordered it, I saw the same half bottle turn up on Sir Paul's table. When I remarked on his good taste to the sommelier, she told me that he'd asked her what I was drinking. Clearly a gentleman of taste and discrimination, and secure enough to be happy with a seat in the back room. "


www.maccareport.com

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!!!!!

Gibson declares Van Halen “Top Guitar Album of All Time”
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Van Halen’s debut album has been selected the Top Guitar Album Of All Time by Gibson.com. The guitar-manufacturer just announced their Top 50 Guitar Albums, as voted on by their editorial and writing staff, an all-star jury of guitarists and readers of the site. Van Halen II also made the list at #23.
From Gibson.com:
If you’re a music fan, you’ve probably seen countless lists ranking the best albums in rock and roll history. But what about the albums that highlight rock’s greatest instrument: that six-stringed portable orchestra, the guitar? Here at Gibson, we decided that the time had come to count down the Top 50 Guitar Albums of All Time.

Below is the full rundown, from 1 to 50. (For an in-depth look at the previous entries click here for #50-41, #40-31, #30-21, #20-11 and #10-1.)

Special thanks to all of our readers who voted. In addition, we would like to thank Zakk Wylde, Billy Morrison, Jeff Cease and Bart Walsh for taking part, as well as the Gibson.com writing and editorial staff.

So, without further adieu…

Gibson.com’s Top 50 Guitar Albums of All Time
1. Van Halen, Van Halen (1978)
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced (1967)
3. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
4. Derek and the Dominos, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970)
5. Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction (1987)
6. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II (1969)
7. The Allman Brothers Band, At Fillmore East (1971)
8. Cream, Disraeli Gears (1967)
9. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Electric Ladyland (1968)
10. AC/DC, Back in Black (1980)
11. Television, Marquee Moon (1977)
12. Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
13. The Who, Live at Leeds (1970)
14. Robert Johnson, King of the Delta Blues Singers (1961)
15. The Sex Pistols, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (1977)
16. Jeff Beck, Blow by Blow (1975)
17. Ozzy Osbourne, Blizzard of Ozz (1980)
18. The Rolling Stones, Exile on Main St. (1972)
19. The Who, Who’s Next (1971)
20. Black Sabbath, Paranoid (1970)
21. Ozzy Osbourne, Diary of a Madman (1981)
22. The Rolling Stones, Sticky Fingers (1971)
23. Van Halen, Van Halen II (1979)
24. Chuck Berry, The Great Twenty-Eight (1982)
25. The Stooges, Fun House (1970)
26. AC/DC, Highway to Hell (1979)
27. The Beatles, Revolver (1966)
28. Aerosmith, Rocks (1976)
29. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin (1969)
30. Oasis, Definitely Maybe (1994)
31. Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Sky is Crying (1991)
32. Lynyrd Skynyrd, One More from the Road (1976)
33. The Beatles, Rubber Soul (1965)
34. The Mahavishnu Orchestra, The Inner Mounting Flame (1971)
35. Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush, Live (1978)
36. John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (1966)
37. Thin Lizzy, Jailbreak (1976)
38. Def Leppard, High ’n’ Dry (1981)
39. Roy Buchanan, Roy Buchanan (1972)
40. The Shadows, Dance with the Shadows (1964)
41. Deep Purple, Machine Head (1972)
42. Jeff Beck, Truth (1968)
43. The White Stripes, Elephant (2003)
44. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Texas Flood (1983)
45. Chuck Berry, Chuck Berry in London (1965)
46. Danny Gatton, 88 Elmira St. (1991)
47. The Wildhearts, Earth vs. The Wildhearts (1993)
48. Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti (1975)
49. Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here (1975)
50. David Bowie, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)

U2's second day of full band rehearsals was pretty much as notable as Sunday's first day. Spoilers coming up including details of what was rehearsed, as well as some audio/video. We're getting much of this from the excellent reporting on U2place.com.

Just as they did on Sunday, U2 rehearsed a new, never-before-heard song on Monday. This one is a slower, acoustic number that seems to only feature Bono and Edge. No idea what the name of the song is, but the chorus involves Bono singing repeatedly, "I can't wait any longer for your love." Here's a video shot outside Olympic Stadium.

Also being rehearsed was "Tryin' To Throw Yours Arms Around the World," and quite notably "Beautiful Day" was played as the first song after the tour's traditional "Space Oddity" intro, and was also played following "Soon," the tour's traditional lead-in as U2 takes the stage. U2place.com says that a tour crew member told fans that "Beautiful Day" will be the opening song.

For a full list of what was rehearsed Monday, check out this article on U2place.com.

Kins...all this Macca and U2 crap have forced our beloved jb to make a career change!!!!!
Who better to own a hair salon?????

One last note: Regarding his health, Bono says "every hour that passes I feel better." (But admits that he's started smoking again.)


"Let me buy you a few cartons"

" forced our beloved jb to make a career change!!!!! "

" August 5th , 2010 -- Macca Report News
by Jorie Gracen

Man awakes from a coma after hearing "Yesterday"

Les Paul Morgan of North Augusta, South Carolina learned the power of music. In fact music saved his life.

Twenty-five years ago Morgan suffered a brain aneurysm. He fell into a deep coma and was not expected to wake up. His mother kept vigil by his bedside hoping for a miracle. Four weeks passed with no signs of Morgan regaining consciousness as hope for his recovery dwindled.

Then one day "Yesterday" was playing on the hospital PA system and he miraculously woke up. The first thing he said to his mother was, "I heard Yesterday play."

Morgan made a complete recovery and thanks Paul McCartney every day.

He bought tickets (nosebleed Sec. 223) for tomorrow's McCartney concert at Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, N.C. and won't be empty handed. He plans to display a banner that says: "I CAME OUT OF A COMA TO 'YESTERDAY' -- PLEASE SING IT WITH ME."

Morgan has high hopes that Paul will acknowledge the banner and maybe ask him onstage. If not he will be happy to see his idol in concert and hear the song that saved his life.

These days Morgan uses music to help others recover from their disabilities. He says, "Now I sing Paul's music as a tool to help others with disabilities..."

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" August 7, 2010 -- Metro.co.uk

Sir Paul McCartney helps raise funds for boy's leg-stretching op

Michael McKenzie, who was born with a severely stunted right leg, has had it 'stretched' by a record 31cm (12in).

The 12-year-old underwent a series of operations involving breaking and screwing the limb over several years to get it to match his normal left one.

His mother, Ginette, 36, sold their home to raise the £80,000 ($127,580) to fund the operations in America, helped by contributions from Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, among others.

'It's a really lovely feeling to have finally got there,' said Ms McKenzie, of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

Michael faces more surgery to give him a knee joint but plans to be upright for his return to school.


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August 7, 2010 -- News Centre CD98.9.com

Paris Port Dover Pipe Band Playing with Paul McCartney (Toronto)

A huge opportunity has presented itself for the Paris Port Dover Pipe Band. Gord Black says the band has been selected to play with Beatle Paul McCartney on stage at the Air Canada Centre on Sunday and Monday night. He says while he can't say what they will be playing (Mull Of Kintyre), they are taking 34 players with them and hoping to get as many as possible on stage.

Black says it's a huge honour to be able to play with Sir Paul and it's something none of the players thought would ever happen especially coming from such small communities. We will hear more from Black next week following the performances.



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Induct WINGS into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Should WINGS be nominated into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? There's a debate amongst Beatles/Paul McCartney fans whether Wings is covered by Paul's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a "solo artist." Does Wings qualify as a band and are they worthy with a string of number one hits during the '70s? Should its band members be recognized for their contributions?

If you think Wings deserves to be nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...


PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION  "


www.maccareport.com

" August 9, 2010 -- Macca Report News Update "EXCLUSIVE"

As expected Macca performs "Mull Of Kintrye" at first Toronto show


The sound check with Paul lasted an hour and a half.

Setlist - First Toronto Show - August 8, 2010 - Air Canada Centre - Toronto, Ontario, Canada

1. Venus And Mars/Rock Show
2. Jet
3. All My Loving
4. Letting Go
5. Drive My Car
6. Highway
7. Let Me Roll It / Foxy Lady (extended version)
8. The Long And Winding Road
9. Nineteen Hundred And Eighty-Five
10. Let 'Em In
11. My Love
12. I've Just Seen A Face
13. And I Love Her
14. Blackbird
15. Here Today
16. Dance Tonight
17. Mrs Vandebilt
18. Eleanor Rigby
19. Something
20. Sing the Changes
21. Band On The Run
22. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
23. Back in the U.S.S.R.
24. I've Got a Feeling
25. Paperback Writer
26. A Day In The Life / Give Peace a Chance
27. Let It Be
28. Live and Let Die
29. Hey Jude

First Encore:
30. Day Tripper
31. Lady Madonna
32. Get Back

Second Encore:
33. Yesterday
34 Mull Of Kintrye with Paris Port Dover Pipe Band (Video 1) (Video 2)
35. Helter Skelter
36. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)/ The End

"Blackbird": Paul forgets which verse came first and sings them in the wrong order. He apologizes. "I got the verses the wrong way round..."

After "Let 'Em In," Paul talked about how most of the people mentioned in the song were real people, such as relatives and friends. He said that some of his ancestors had emigrated from Scotland to Canada and that one of them, his Auntie Edie (?) lived in Toronto and was somewhere in the audience so he was dedicating the song to her.

During the concert Paul read a sign that said "May I have your guitar pick". Paul said, "Yes, but later. It will have to be later".
He didn't throw the person a pick though.

During one of the quieter moments one guy yelled "You rock Paul!". Paul kind of looked surprised and looked over towards where the sound came from and said "Thank you.. and so do you".

After "The End" someone tossed up a bouquet of flowers which Paul caught with one hand. Then someone tossed up a teddy bear, which he caught it with the other hand! Another person tossed up a Detroit Red Wings hockey sweater that had "McCartney" on the back. Macca was still holding the flowers and the teddy bear, so Rusty held the shirt for him and he signed it. Paul tried to turn the shirt around to see the logo before he tossed it back to the owner, but the crowd saw the Red Wings logo and started gently booing. Paul said apologetically, "Wrong team" which got laughs.

Towards the end of the show, Rusty's acoustic guitar broke (like in Nashville) with the fret board coming loose from the rest of the body and the neck bending at a 90 degree angle, fortunately not until the end of the song. It happened when Rusty took the guitar off and he looked surprised.

Signs in audience:

"My dad drove 2,000 km so I could hug a Beatle"

Paul reads the sign after "Helter Skelter" and calls the pre-teen onstage to give her a hug. Macca says, "2,000 km is a long way to drive for a sweaty hug!"

"Paulie you Macca me happy"

"Get Back to Chicago" - held up during "Get Back" (Paul saw this one - thanks Ceil!) "


www.maccareport.com


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That much-anticipated new album has now been confirmed: Guitarist Eddie Van Halen and his brother, drummer Alex Van Halen, released a statement saying, "[Van Halen] is currently in the studio recording an album with Roth that is due for release in 2011."

" August 9, 2010 -- Toronto Sun

Sir Paul wows 'em at the ACC

That McCartney kid looks like he could very well be an up-and-comer.

At least that's how a sold-out crowd at Toronto's Air Canada Centre could've seen Paul McCartney's simply stellar first night of a two-night stand as part of his current Up and Coming 2010 Tour.

Over the course of nearly three hours and three dozen songs in a set brimming with solo hits and Fab Four jewels, McCartney and his seasoned, strong four-piece band could basically do little wrong.

What might have been the biggest surprise though was not how the songs have stood the test of time but perhaps just how well the 68-year-old McCartney stood up vocally to the rigours of delivering the parade of singles. Not bad for a singer who would have to change the song When I'm Sixty-Four to When I Was Sixty-Four (Four Years Ago).

With a large screen on either side of the stage and one behind him, the dapper looking McCartney opened with Venus and Mars/Rockshow before the punchier Jet had him working off of guitarists Rusty Anderson and Brian Ray as drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. and keyboardist Paul Wickens plied their wares. Soon the first of numerous offerings from The Beatles appeared with All My Loving, Drive My Car and the roots-y I've Just Seen A Face that had McCartney stomping along to. The newer tune Highway recorded under the moniker The Fireman was okay but nothing spectacular (^*!@#!).

Thanking the crowd of 38K ( Necessary to win gross ) often who in turned thanked McCartney loudly with applause after every song ­ McCartney opted for a piano portion with The Long and Winding Road that led nicely into the up-tempo Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five as well as the well-crafted, terribly melodic Let 'Em In.

If there was any miscue early on, it might have been his performance of the tender Blackbird where he had the "verses the other way around." Afterwards he admitted concentrating on the guitar parts and lyrics was tough enough but then seeing various homemade signs in the front only added to the workload. "You say to yourself don't look at the signs," he said, noticing one sign from a fan asking for a hug after travelling 2,000 kilometers to see the show (which he obliged near the end).

For the most part McCartney was pretty much flawless on Eleanor Rigby, Something (played on a ukulele George Harrison gave him), Band On The Run and Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, the first song which had the primarily baby boomer audience finally on their feet and clapping. Looking at some rather unenthused sections one got the impression the ticket prices were literally an arm and a leg, not just figuratively.

During the 13-song homestretch, McCartney opted for more signatures such as Paperback Writer, Let It Be and the pyrotechnics-riddled Live and Let Die. Only the fusing of A Day In The Life with Give Peace A Chance seemed to be problematic, yet the sing-along refrain of Hey Jude more than made up for it.

Following the first encore, McCartney returned for Yesterday but it was the lovely Mull of Kintyre which sealed the deal, complete with the Paris Port Dover Pipe Band sauntering onstage with drums and bagpipes for a dramatic result.

Overall, there is definitely no shadow hanging over Sir Paul.

Sun rating: 5.0 out of 5 Stars   "


http://www.maccareport.com/


Joey Macca , Est. Quite Recently and loved by JB !!!!

" Joey, I lit the fifth floor RR up today "

" August 9, 2010 -- Toronto Star

Ageless Paul McCartney charms crowd with inspirational performance

Baby, we're amazed!

He may have recently turned 68, but Paul McCartney performed like a man one-quarter of his age before an adoring crowd at a packed Air Canada Centre last night.

For the first of two concerts-he returns to the ACC tonight-the living legend's stamina was absolutely stupefying. He seemed to turn back the hands of time during a nearly three-hour marathon that featured 36 songs and nary a sip of water between them.

Backed by a tremendous quartet that included monster drummer (and chief dancer) Abe Laboriel Jr., the agelessly thin, limber Macca focused his set liberally on his Wings catalogue-particularly 1973's exceptional Band On The Run-and another band of his that you may have heard of called The Beatles.

It didn't take him long to get started on either. Looking resplendent in a black suit, he launched the show on a slightly mellow note with the Wings' "Venus And Mars" before heaving it into another gear with "Rock Show," the song's second half, and then segueing directly into "Jet." Several thousand fans' fists ripped through the air in unison every time the title was chanted.

After "All My Loving," the third song in and the first to herald back to the Four Lads Who Shook The World days, McCartney took a moment to acknowledge his surroundings.

"This is such a cool atmosphere," he said. "I just want to drink it in for myself."

Then it was back to business and a steady string of hits and classics. The jacket came off to reveal a white shirt and suspenders. Then McCartney spent the rest of the night switching from his signature left-handed bass to left-handed guitar, mandolin and, for the first go on the piano, "1985" and "The Long And Winding Road."

His voice was in fine fettle. Although the sound heard from the side stage remained largely distorted and cavernous most of the night, McCartney delivered some pristine moments, including a dynamic falsetto on "Here Today." It's a song he told the audience he wrote after the 1980 passing of John Lennon about "the conversation we never had."

McCartney generously acknowledged his two former Beatle mates who have shaken this mortal coil, strumming a ukulele version of "Something" that he said he played for George Harrison and tacking a coda of "Give Peace A Chance" onto "A Day In The Life."

Whether you loved "Let 'Em In," "Drive My Car" or "Let It Be," McCartney and his sidemen-keyboardist Paul "Wix" Wickens and guitarist Rusty Anderson with occasional help from supporting guitarist and bass player Brian Ray-didn't mess with your memory cells. They kept the solos in the arrangement intact, with Wickens in particular re-creating trombone or sax parts with his fingers.

It wasn't only McCartney's performance ethic that made his performance so magical and memorable. It was also the Liverpool lad's charm.

For example, he performed "Blackbird" on acoustic guitar and inadvertently mixed up the verses. He explained he was too busy trying to focus on everything and had unsuccessfully warned himself not to read the numerous signs that audience members had brought.

At least one of those signs, the one that read "My Dad drove me 2,000 km to hug a Beatle," paid off, as he brought the young girl on stage during his second encore for the hug she requested.

He also joked about the arsenal of instruments he brought along for the tour.

"If you're wondering why we have all these guitars up here and why we keep switching ­ we're showing off," he deadpanned.

And he told some great stories, including being complimented by the fact that Jimi Hendrix performed the entire Sgt. Pepper's album in concert in England two days after it was released back in 1967.

But there was one more ingredient that spiced up the immaculately written hits like "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," "Get Back," "Lady Madonna," "Yesterday," "Hey Jude," that were paraded in front of the 18,000 in attendance: Paul McCartney's zeal.

It's clear from his performance that the fire and passion still burn deep within his soul. Whether he's rocking out to "Back In The U.S.S.R," romancing the masses with the ballad "My Love" or regaling us with the stoic anthem "Mull Of Kintyre" (with full highland band), McCartney's genuine enthusiasm knocks his game up a notch.

Last night, he embodied the true definition of the word "inspiration."


http://www.maccareport.com/


Joey Macca , Est. Quite Recently and loved by JB !!!!