Pugin Hall rehearsals

In October, Wings were in the studio for their last sessions together. The plan was to have George Martin producing the next Wings LP. But in the end, Wings got dismantled, the loyal Denny Laine stayed some more months, and George Martin produced Tug Of War.

The quiet Kent village of Tenterden was where the initial rehearsals [for “Tug Of War” and “Pipes Of Peace”] began, at the end of 1980, which later led to the beautiful West Indian island of Montserrat, and to the creation of two albums —the massively successful “Tug Of War” and 1983’s “Pipes Of Peace.” Pugin’s Hall, Tenterden was the other-wise inauspicious venue. It was named after Augustus Welby Pugin, the Victorian architect who designed the interior of the Houses of Parliament, and who died insane at Ramsgate aged 40!

After the studio isolation, and strictly solo, “McCartney Il” album of 1980, Paul wanted to work with other sympathetic musicians in an atmosphere of mutual creativity: “It was really a move away from solo stuff, as much as a move away from a definite group, because Wings had broken up for various reasons… George (Martin) and I decided we weren’t going to do ‘Tug Of War’ with Wings because he felt — and I did too — by that time it was getting a bit restricting. We were having to do stuff a particular way because that was who was going to play it. We decided not to be as restricted, and just write anything, and then get in anyone we thought could play it. So this started a new era, working with whoever we thought was most suitable for the tune. If it was a thing that needed Steve Gadd’s particular kind of thing, we decided we’d get him, rather than just asking someone to be like Steve Gadd!”

That musical open-mindedness was something which also appealed to George Martin: “One of the principles that I started off with Paul was — You are probably the greatest living and certainly a multi-songwriter, instrumentalist. Why have people who are not as good as you? Why not have people who are better than you at their particular thing?”

Paul’s decision to ask George Martin to produce the prospective album was an important decision. George remembered the circumstances: “We had always kept in touch, and had just been out together to dinner, and just as they were leaving, Paul said “Oh, there’s one thing I forgot to ask you, would you like to produce my next record?’ I said well now you tell me! My immediate joke was why spoil a beautiful friendship? … Then I said yes, I’d love to work with you again, but will it work?”

From Club Sandwich N° 31, 1983

Related sessions

• 

  Pugin Hall rehearsal #1

  Oct 18, 1980

• 

  Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

  Oct 30, 1980

• 

  Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

  Nov 30, 1980

Session activities

1. Rock 'n' Roll Rodeo

   Written by Paul McCartney

   Recording

2. Ecology of The World

   Written by Paul McCartney

   Recording

3. Good Morning Song

   Written by Paul McCartney

   Recording

4. New Orleans Jam

   Written by Paul McCartney

   Recording

5. All In Love Is Fair

   Written by Paul McCartney

   Recording

6. Average Person

   Oct 18, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #1

7. Improvisation

   Oct 18, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #1

8. Jam Session #1

   Oct 18, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #1

9. Jam Session #2

   Oct 18, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #1

10. Jam Session #3

    Oct 18, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #1

11. Jam Session #4

    Oct 18, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #1

12. Jam Session #5

    Oct 18, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #1

13. Jam Session #6

    Oct 18, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #1

14. Jam Session #7

    Oct 18, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #1

15. Mama's Little Girl

    Oct 18, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #1

16. Take It Away

    Oct 18, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #1

17. Average Person

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

18. Ballroom Dancing

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

19. Blue Moon Of Kentucky

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

20. Cage

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

21. Cut Across Shortly

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

22. Ebony And Ivory

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

23. Good Rockin' Tonight

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

24. Johnny B. Goode

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

25. Keep Under Cover

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

26. Movie Magg

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

27. Old Man Lovin'

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

28. Rainclouds

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

29. Shake, Rattle And Roll

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

30. Singing The Blues

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

31. Stealin' Back To My Same Old Used To Be

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

32. Summertime

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

33. Sure To Fall (In Love With You)

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

34. The Sheik Of Araby

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

35. Twenty Flight Rock

    Oct 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #2

36. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear

    Nov 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

37. Ain't That A Shame

    Nov 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

38. Denny's Song

    Nov 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

39. Fabulous

    Nov 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

40. Goin' Back To Tennessee

    Nov 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

41. I'm Gonna Love You Too

    Nov 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

42. I'm In Love Again

    Nov 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

43. Improvisation

    Nov 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

44. Lend Me Your Comb

    Nov 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

45. No Values

    Nov 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

46. Oh, Boy!

    Nov 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

47. Peggy Sue

    Nov 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

48. Rockin' In Your Seat

    Nov 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

49. Your Lucky Day

    Nov 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

50. Your True Love

    Nov 30, 1980 • Pugin Hall rehearsal #3

Going further

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