Press To Play

About

From paulmccartney.com:

Released in 1986 and featuring collaborations with 10cc’s Eric Stewart, Pete Townshend and Phil Collins, Press To Play is an album that is both of its time and timeless. Produced with Hugh Padgham, known for his work with The Police and Genesis, its first single ‘Press’ is a feather-light, drum-machine driven slice of pure ’80s pop joy, while ‘Move Over Busker’ mixes in more guitar-driven elements for a brisk burst of energy. As Paul himself put it at the time, “Some of the tracks are completely live – with real people! But the bass on ‘Press’ for example, that’s a machine playing it.” The album cover was taken by famed Hollywood photographer, George Hurrell, who took the sepia image of Paul and Linda using the same box camera he had used 40 years earlier.

An album like Press To Play – that got a good kicking when it came out in ’86. Quite right, too. It’s not that I make a below-par record and think “Oh well, it’s crap, but I’ll stick it out anyway.” I must like them when I finish them. What can I say? Sometimes I’m wrong.

Paul McCartney – From interview with UNCUT, July 2004

Last updated on September 3, 2023

Special editions

Press

By Paul McCartney • 12" Single

Press To Play (1993)

By Paul McCartney • Official album

Press To Play (LP version)

By Paul McCartney • Official album

Related singles

Only Love Remains / Tough On A Tightrope

By Paul McCartney • 7" Single

Only Love Remains / Tough On A Tightrope

By Paul McCartney • 12" Single

Press

By Paul McCartney • 12" Single

Press / It's Not True

By Paul McCartney • 7" Single

Pretty Little Head / Write Away

By Paul McCartney • 12" Single

Pretty Little Head / Write Away

By Paul McCartney • 7" Single

Stranglehold / Angry

By Paul McCartney • 7" Single

Related bootlegs

Press To Play - Ultimate Archive Collection

By Paul McCartney • Unofficial album

Press To Play Sessions

By Paul McCartney • Unofficial album