Mike McGear

Mike McCartney (born Peter Michael McCartney, 7 January 1944, at Walton General Hospital, Liverpool) also known as Mike McGear is a British performing artist and rock photographer and the brother of Paul McCartney. He attended the same school—the Liverpool Institute—as his brother, two years behind him.

He had several hit records in the 1960s and 1970s. He decided on a stagename, using the Liverpudlian equivalent of "Fab", so as not to generate undue influence from his family connections.

In 1968, with Roger McGough, he released an album (McGough & McGear) that entailed lyrics, poems, and comedy. The duo had worked together, along with John Gorman, since 1962 as The Scaffold, recording a number of UK hit singles between 1966 and 1974, the most famous being the 1968 Christmas number one single, "Lily the Pink". The trio added other members and later released two more albums (both in 1973) as Grimms.

McGear released a solo album entitled Woman in 1972, which included many tracks co-written with McGough. In 1974, McGear released McGear in which he collaborated with his brother Paul and his band Wings. He is also a photographer, and has published pictures he took of The Beatles backstage, and on tour, and has recently brought out a limited edition book of photos he took spontaneously backstage at Live8.

He married and divorced Angela Fishwick, and later married Rowena Horne. McGear has six children, including Josh McCartney who was the drummer in the band, The Famous Last Words (formerly known as Trilby).


"Woman" 1972

Mike McGear: Vocals.
Roger McGough: Guitars.
Andy Roberts: Guitars.
Roger Bunn: Bass guitar.
Dave Richards: Bass guitar.
Zoot Money: Piano, keyboards.
John Megginson: Organ.
Brian Auger: Keyboards.
Norman Yardley: Harmonica.
Gerry Conway: Drums, percussion.
Ginger Johnson: Percussion.
Michael Rosen: Horns.
Roger Ball: Horns.
Cecil Moss: Horns.
Chris Pyne: Horns.
Malcolm Duncan: Horns.
Paul Korda: Backing vocals.
Steve Gould: Backing vocals.
Alan Gorrie: Backing vocals.
Centipede: Strings.
Tony Coe: Saxophones.

Sample pic: Click


"McGear" 1974

The album was a collaboration between McGear and his older brother Paul McCartney, who produced the record. All tracks on the album are performed by McCartney's band Wings, although all lead vocals are sung by McGear. At the time, McGear had just left his group Grimms, and McCartney was waiting for his Apple Records contract to expire. Because of Apple contract issues, McCartney was originally not credited as a performer.
Although the original intent had just been to record a single ("Leave It"), the project mushroomed into an entire album before the single was released. The album was recorded at 10cc's Strawberry Studios, except for "Leave It", which was recorded at Abbey Road Studios.
The front cover shows Mike captured like Gulliver, surrounded by little black and white people. Included in the people are pictures of the band members, as well as a childhood picture of Paul and Mike.
In 1991, McGear was re-released by Rykodisc in the U.S. with a previously unreleased version of the disco song "Dance The Do" as a bonus track. In 1992, McGear was re-released by See For Miles Records in the U.K. with two bonus tracks, "Dance The Do" and "Sweet Baby," which had been the B-side of "Leave It." The liner notes quote McGear as saying that "Sweet Baby" had originally been named "All My Lovin'" but "some other group had already done one with that name."

Mike McGear: Vocals.
Paul McCartney: Bass, guitars, keyboards, vocals.
Linda McCartney: Moog, piano, vocals
Denny Laine: Electric guitars, vocals.
Jimmy McCullough: Electric guitars.
Gerry Conway: Drums, percussion.
Denny Seiwell: Drums, percussion (on "Leave It").
Brian Jones: Saxophones.
Tony Coe: Saxophones (on "Leave It").
Paddy Moloney: Aeolian pipes.
The Halle Orchestra, arranged & conducted by Gerry Allison.