THE BOOTLEG FILES: JAMES PAUL MCCARTNEY
Back in early 1973, Paul McCartney was experiencing a new peak in his post-Beatles career. His song “My Love” reached the top of the U.S. music charts, and he was tapped to offer the first rock music theme song for James Bond film “Live and Let Die.” But McCartney also faced problems. Sir Lew Grade, who controlled half of the publishing royalties for McCartney’s songs, was threatening the star with legal action for the somewhat questionable crediting of his wife Linda as co-writer of the tunes. In order to avoid a court showdown, McCartney agreed to star in a one-shot special for Grade’s ATV in return for Linda receiving songwriting royalties.
But the resulting special TV special, “James Paul McCartney,” was something of a mess. “James Paul McCartney” was divided into 11 segments that were either wrapped around a single tune or a skein of songs. The bulk of the production was shot in controlled environments, with applause tracks occasionally added later; a single segment was taped before a live audience. Although McCartney presented the special as being a collaborative effort with his new band Wings, the focus was almost entirely on him and Linda.
Source: Film Threat
