When The Beatles broke up in 1970, Paul McCartney faced the challenge of starting over. Instead of relying on past success or crying over his loss, he took a bold step. He formed Wings with his wife, Linda, and musician Denny Laine. The journey wasn’t easy, but it led to one of the most interesting chapters of his career. Now, McCartney is sharing what transpired in that era in his new book, Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run, set for release on November 4, 2025.
The book offers a detailed, first-hand account of Wings’ rise, struggles, and triumphs. Not just that, it also captures how McCartney reinvented himself in the ’70s. It includes over 100 never-before-seen photographs and is built from 500,000+ words of interviews with McCartney and key figures from the band’s orbit.
The book explores Paul McCartney’s struggles with starting a new band
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The book also sheds light on some of the Wings most important moments. In the book, McCartney reflects on the uncertainty of forming a new band, playing impromptu university gigs, and struggling to be taken seriously outside The Beatles’ shadow. He recounts the frightening night they were mugged in Nigeria, where they lost demo tapes for “Band on the Run,” and how they bounced back to create one of their most iconic albums.
McCartney’s statement about the book reveals how much the band meant to him: “Starting from scratch after The Beatles felt crazy at times. There were some very difficult moments and I often questioned my decision. But as we got better, I thought, ‘OK, this is really good.’” He revealed that despite the challenges, they proved Wings could be a really good band.
A documentary of Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles journey is currently in the works
Apart from the book, filmmaker Morgan Neville is currently working on a documentary exploring McCartney’s post-Beatles journey. While McCartney hasn’t written a full memoir, this project would provide additional information on the important moments of his career. A 50th anniversary reissue of the album, Venus and Mars, will also arrive on March 21, 2025, in a special half-speed master edition.
Additionally, “One Hand Clapping,” a 1974 live-in-studio performance, has been released as both a film and an album. “Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run” will be published in the U.S. by Liveright/W. W. Norton and Allen Lane/Penguin Press, with a UK release through Penguin/Allen Lane.