Wings Fun Club newsletter #6 published

The Paul McCartney and Wings Fun Club was formed in late 1972. Between 1973 and 1976, the club issued some newsletters which would later evolve into the Club Sandwich newspaper. These early newsletters were either in the form of typed foolscap folio (20.3cm x 33cm) sheets or A5 (14.8cm x 21cm) booklets. Most of these were quite amateurishly done and sent out irregularly. Various MPL employees compiled them, Lucy then Nicky then Sue Cavanaugh, without forgetting Claire who launched the idea of an unofficial Wings fan club, wrote a first unofficial newsletter and contributed to the very first official ones.

My sincere thanks to Andy Weal, one of the early members of the Wings Fun Club, who helped us put together the club’s history and provided copies of some artefacts.

From Record Collector – June 1997:

[…] Club Sandwich grew out of the plain, typewritten newsletters issued by the Wings Fun Club in the early 70s, which itself developed from an unofficial fan club run by a long-forgotten McCartney devotee known only as Lucy. A girl called Claire took over the Wings newsletter in 1973, and with the blessing of McCartney’s MPL company, she launched the Paul McCartney and Wings Fan Club via MPL’s Soho Square address that year. The inaugural issue coincided with the release of “Red Rose Speedway”, and the initial membership fee was just 50p, for which fans were promised a newsletter every four to six weeks.
The first despatches were foolscap-sized, mimeographed affairs. Back in ’73, the innovation of photographs had yet to be adopted, but members were kept informed about such subjects as the James Paul McCartney TV special (the report on which suggested that “The Long And Winding Road” was edited from the final version), the recording of “Red Rose Speedway”, Wings’ first tour, the group’s visit to Marrakesh, plus a candid report on Paul’s bust for growing marijuana plants for which, revealed Claire, the ex-Beatie was fined £100. Early club offers included an exclusive Wings badge, which featured a red bird on a white background. Yours for just 12p.
For the second issue of the newsletter, MPL’s address was replaced with a more discreet P.O. box number, and the title of the organisation was amended on McCartney’s recommendation to Wings Fun Club. Official news was bolstered by fans’ letters and comments, plus a personal ads section in which eager readers requested back issues of The Beatles Book (“will pay 8p per copy”), and McCartney’s soundtrack LP for The Family Way (“will give £1”). Bootleg tapes of Wings’ 1972 university tour were also avidly sought after, and adverts soliciting them were frequently published.
By issue five, the newsletter had become an A5-sized magazine, edited by a surname-free girl called Nicky. It was still produced on the cheap, and although photographs had started to creep in, the magazine remained black-and-white. The editorial content too continued to be frank: after the unexpected departure of Wings’ members, Denny Seiwell and Henry McCulloch, Linda McCartney revealed that there had been “no row” between them and the rest of the group. “We didn’t really know Henry,” she observed, “and he didn’t know us.” The mag proved its point by reporting with some dignity on the deserters’ post-Wings activities. Among the new Club offers was a selection of Wings biros available in red, green, blue, mauve and pink – priced at 6p each.
In 1974, the Fun Club magazine turned more professional-looking, with a glossy, black-and-white cover, and generous offers to buy 10″ x 8″s of Wings’ floating line-up. At this stage, editor Nicky was joined by American MPL employee, Sue Cavanaugh, and to this day, Sue remains – notionally at least – in charge of Club Sandwich.

The last A5 Wings magazine was produced in December 1976, and was stuffed with reports of that year’s American tour, plus a multitude of club offers including a “Helen Wheels” poster at 55p, T-shirts at £1.70, and a trio of tour programmes: Europe 1972 at 30p (now worth £10), U.K. 1975 at 50p (now £25) and U.S.A. 1976 at £1.50 (£30). […]
From Record Collector – June 1997

Early 1974, a new Wings Fun Club newsletter (numbered #6) was published and sent to the club members. The newsletter makes reference to the following events:

“Paul now has his visa to the States, and hopes to be recording there shortly“. In July 1974, Paul McCartney and Wings travelled to Nashville to record their new single, “Junior’s Farm / Sally G“.
“Just before Christmas Wings set off to Paris via Ferry with Jimmy McCullough ex Blue guitarist & Dave Lutton ex Ellis Drummer“. In November 1973, Wings recorded some songs for Linda’s planned first solo album.

Hello,
Hope you all had a really lovely Christmas & New Year. Thank you for all the cards & presents sent to the band and Fun Club. Paul, Linda & Denny wanted to say a special thank you to all their loyal fans for the support that you’ve given them in this past year so enclosed with this newsletter are a few presents. Paul also drew the Father Christmas on the front cover.
Latest News:
Paul now has his visa to the States, and hopes to be recording there shortly.
Just before Christmas Wings set off to Paris via Ferry with Jimmy McCullough ex Blue guitarist & Dave Lutton ex Ellis Drummer. The Ferry landed at Calais, and Ian, faithful roadie for Wings drove + hours to Paris’s plush hotel – The George cinq. The McCartneys stayed in rooms 119, 124 & 125 and after dumping all their stuff down and having something to eat set off again in a Black Caddilac at the dead of night to the Pathe Marconi studios in Bologne. Which is where at approx 12.45am Wings made history. This was the first time the studios had been used overnight.
At 8.30am they were all back at the hotel and went to bed… at 5.30pm they all woke up. Paul did some interview with Paris Match & Francais.
On the 7th floor some more illustrious stars were getting themselves ready for a gig. Yes, you’ve guessed it ….. none other than the fabulous Osmond Brothers. The kids wanted to get the Osmonds autographes so at approx 6.30pm the following bit of dialogue takes place between Paul & little Jimmy:

Paul: Are you going to do ‘Long Haired Lover from L’pool?
Jimmy: Sure Paul, You bet!
Wings arrived in Paris on Wednesday and were due to leave on Friday. But the tracks cut in the studios had been so good that they wanted to get a cassette made for the car so they could listen to the muzac all the way home. Unfortunately the cassette wasn’t ready in time so they missed the ferry. That evening Paul and Linda went to a very jet setty club, and the next day before they left, Linda managed to do a bit of shopping and bought some jewelry & snazy sunglasses in the shape of Christmas trees & tennis rackets.
They caught the 9.0 ‘clock ferry home.
Rumours circulating the States about Linda leaving Wings are completely untrue!
Paul has done a couple of interviews for Capitol Radio. One for the Kenny & Cash show, and one for Tim Rice’s programme…. . Has been asked to do the Parkinson show, and Russel Harty prog, but has no time at the moment …. A lot of complaints have been received about faulty copies of Band on the Run. If your copy does have a fault, take it straight back to the shop where you bought it. All albums should also include a free poster ….. Oreana Falacci, US writer reported to be writing a book on Linda… Band on the Run gold record in US 12 days after release….. new book on The Beatles “Twighlight of the Gods” by Wilfred Mellors ….. Cover of Band on the Run taken at Osterley Park, statly home. Features Michael Parkinson, Kenny Lynch, Paul, James Coburn (actor), Linda, Clement Freud, Christopher Lee(Actor), Denny, John Conteh (British, European & Commonwealth Light-Heavy weight Champion.
Record No of Denny’s solo LP ‘Ahh Laine’ is SW2 2001, released in US in Febuary….. Soily, track from British & Euro tour – not released yet.
New members? Pauls still quietly looking around. He is at the moment working with Jimmy McCullough and Wings up in Strawberry Studios, Stockport. Where he is producing Mike McGears album. Compositions for the LP by Paul & Mike. Linda’s solo LP to be released under the name Suzi & the Redstripes…. Jet to be released as a single on Febuary 18th. B side Let Me Roll It. Delay in European film, it’s nearly finished now and will possibly be released later in the year. […]
Bryan Ferry
To all the millions who wrote in to ask who the bloke in the Band on the Run poster is… it’s Bryan Ferry. Bryan was sitting in the TV lounge at Air London studios and was pretty chuffed at meeting the McCartneys. As soon as he got home he rang up his fan club sec, Peter:
Bryan: Guess who I’ve just met?
Peter: Who?
Bryan: One of your heroes.
Peter: Elvis?
Bryan: No, Paul McCartney!
Peter: What was he like?
Bryan: Oh, he was great, and I was really impressed by Linda – she likes my solo LP.”(plug plug-lovely album) What LPs have you bought lately?
Peter: Ringo, Mind Games & Band on the Run.
Bryan: Which do you like best?
Peter: Ringo.
Bryan: Oh, don’t you like Band on the Run. I think 1985 sounds a bit Roxyish.
Peter: I bet you just bought it because of the pie of you.
Bryan: I wouldn’t buy an album just to see a photo of me.
Peter: Oh yes you would. I know you.
Roxy missed Wings’s British tour. Sal Maida- bassist was especially interested in asking Peter all about the gigs. “ls he as good as he used to be?” Sal lists Paul as one of his favorite singers and musicians.

Last updated on August 18, 2022

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