Wings’ interview and photo session
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After 4 concerts at the Royal Court ..
From the McCartney Observer fanzine, Fall/Winter 1979-1980:
Liverpool. November 27, 1979
We went down to the Peirhead around 2:30 and a man selling newspapers said, “Do you know that Paul McCartney is going on the Royal Iris at 3:00?” He explained that it was a press conference. Barb and Mary Ann were already there (after having been told about the press conference by Alan Williams’ associate, who they had had lunch with earlier). The Royal Iris is the same ferry that the Beatles posed on in 1963. The ferry was covered with Wings posters and all the bodyguards were there dressed in tuxedos, so we knew that the press conference was a reality. The docks were packed with photographers and locals who wanted to see Paul, as well as people simply waiting to take a ferry across the river. It was so exciting, and made me feel so nostalgic to see Paul on the docks, all the press, people buzzing with excited chatter and anticipation—just like the old days. The bus pulled up onto a nearby dock, and they all walked to the Royal Iris while all the photographers snapped away and got in our way. The bodyguards were really annoying and kept pushing us, but somehow Doylene and I managed to get away from all that, and we were able to watch without too much of a hassle. What got to us was that after getting in our way, the photographers were allowed n to the ferry for a regular photo session. Still, I was happy to be so lucky to even be there to begin with! Nothing could make me feel down at that moment. A few minutes later, while the ferry was still in dock, I heard a girl yelling, “Paul! Look down here!” And suddenly realized that the whole band was on the top deck for a photo session.
I noticed a gang-plank near the ferry that we could climb up and get closer to where Paul was. So Doylene and I did that. Paul was posing for all the photographers alone, and then the rest of Wings joined him. Paul would make the photographers wait while he waved and smiled at all the fans. Linda was going by and we said “hello!” and she asked me if I were enjoying myself. Then she posed for photos for us by picking her nose (needless to say, we didn’t bother clicking the shutters). This session seemed to be going on for a long time, so Doylene and I quickly got out our telephoto lenses (fumbling like mad) to get some closer photos. Paul kept looking over at us, waving, giving us the thumbs up sign. It was fantastic! We were so happy! The ferry began to leave the docks for its journey across the Mersey (Paul was singing “Ferry Across the Mersey” – it was all so nostalgic!) They returned about a half hour later and as Paul was leaving the ferry he began singing “Mull of Kintyre” as if he were drunk! (They had been drinking tea on the ferry). The crowd was even bigger than when he first got on the ferry but we followed him to the bus which we weren’t supposed to do, but that never stopped us before. Doylene and I were laughing and tripping over each other’s feet in the midst of all the excitement and Steve Holly was watching us making fools out of ourselves. At least we gave him a good laugh!
We went over to the side of the bus Paul was on, and waved back and forth at each other. Little did we know at the time that there was a photographer getting a real charge out of watching us watch Paul and he was click away like mad! What gets me about this whole press conference scene is that of all the photographs taken, we only got to see a few. Who knows where the rest are? For this, we were trampled on so the press could get their photos. Photos that were never even printed. But, it was a wonderful experience, especially when we didn’t expect it to happen. A definite highlight of the tour! That night we watched two Wings specials on TV and the news showed a little bit of the press conference. Hope that America will be able to show these specials. They were great.
Last updated on December 17, 2023