Wings

The Story of a Band on the Run

De: Paul McCartney, Ted Widmer - editor

Narrado por: Amy Noble, Barry Sloane, John Sackville, Paul McCartney, Mary McCartney, Stella McCartney

“We made what seemed like an impossible dream come true.”―Paul McCartney

An engrossing oral history of a band that came to define a generation, Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run tells the madcap story of Paul McCartney and his newly formed band, from their humble beginnings in the early 1970s to their dissolution barely a decade later. Drawn from over 500,000 words of interviews with McCartney, family and band members, and other key participants, Wings recounts―now with a half-century’s wisdom―the musical odyssey taken by a man searching for his identity in the aftermath of The Beatles’ breakup. Soon joined by his wife American photographer Linda McCartney on keyboard and vocals; drummer Denny Seiwell; and guitarist Denny Laine, McCartney sowed the seeds for a new band that would later provide the soundtrack of the decade.

Organized chronologically around McCartney, RAM, and nine Wings albums, the narrative begins when a twenty-seven-year-old superstar, rumored to be dead, fled with his new wife to a remote sheep farm in Scotland amid a sea of legal and personal rows. Despite the harsh conditions, the Scottish setting gave McCartney time to create, and it was here where this new band emerged. Wings then follows the group as they play unannounced shows at university halls, tour in a sheared-off double-decker bus with their children, survive a robbery on the streets of Nigeria, and eventually perform blockbuster stadium shows on their world tour, all while producing some of the most enduring music of the time.

With extraordinary recollections collected by Oscar-winning director Morgan Neville and edited into a genre-defining oral history by Ted Widmer, Wings transports the listener, as if on a magic carpet, to the grit and glamour of the 1970s. Pushing creative forms to produce a new history, even a Wings bible, the book refracts a bygone era in a totally new light. Introduced with a personal, heartfelt foreword by Paul McCartney—and featuring narrated contributions from Paul McCartney, Mary McCartney, and Stella McCartney, alongside narrator Barry Sloane and voice actors Amy Noble and John Sackville—Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run emerges as a work of soaring originality that presents a new art form all its own.

©2025 MPL Communications Ltd. (P)2025 Penguin Audio; Foreword: MPL Communications Ltd.

Very Unique and Enjoyable

Very in-depth chronological history of the band. And, a very unique way of narration. I have even more respect for Paul, his work ethic, ingenuity, and his leadership.

Jet-Fueled Nostalgia: The definitive story of McCartney’s second act

I enjoyed this book about Wings very much. It was really cool to hear the full story of the band I grew up loving because my mom played it for me in the 90's and 2000's while I grew up. I actually got into The Beatles after Wings. Paul McCartney is amazing and hearing the full story of his second act was incredible. For instance I didn't know that the album London Town was recorded on a boat. I also didn't know the dramatic story of the "Wings Greatest" album cover. It was also interesting to hear about the interactions of the band and the ups and downs of the story. I also loved that he and Linda were all about family. The fact that they took their kids on tour is so awesome! I'm a diehard Paul McCartney fan and will be for life. This book reaffirmed my love for the man and his artistry.

Voice cast effective

The mix of voices worked well to present what could have been a confusing mix of recollections and quotes.

Be kind to yourself, buy the hard copy

This review is particular to the Audible version, but even buying the hard copy will only help and not solve the problems.

First, and most egregiously, the Audible version does not include any PDF of what must be glorious photographs.

The narrators are repeated for multiple voices, often in direct sequence. If you’re used to a listening to a story with a single narrator using different inflections and tonality to distinguish between voices, you won’t find that here. Although each voice is introduced, it’s not sufficient. It would’ve been much better reading on a page.

The problems that cannot be solved are Paul’s. It’s not a surprise to hear his ego; anyone of his stature must almost necessarily be very certain of himself and his place in history. But it’s ludicrous to see in his own words how much credit he takes for everything (even punk rock!) and how little credit, appreciation, or understanding he gives to his bandmates. It’s beyond description in this short review.

The bright spots almost exclusively belong to Sean Ono Lennon. His insight and thoughtful words kept me listening until the end. I also appreciated hearing from Stella and Mary McCartney, who provided their own narration and often included snippets of the story I had not heard before. Finally, Paul’s devotion to both Music and his family comes through with startling clarity. That was really nice to hear.