Denny Laine returns to discuss the Wings Wild Life and Red Rose Speedway boxsets, his 2019 tour, his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and much more. Our friend Luca Perasi and author of Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions (1969-2013). A Journey Through Paul McCartney's Songs After The Beatles drops in as well. You may want to tune in for this one. Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.com Catch Denny on Tour: Jan 8 - One Longfellow Square, Portland, Maine Jan 9 - City Winery, Boston, Ma...
Jan 05, 2019•2 hr 19 min•Season 4Ep. 28
After the smash success of Chaos and Creation , Paul McCartney followed up with Memory Almost Full , another excellent almost refreshing album produced by David Kahne. Taken from a cell phone, the title describes both modern day life and Paul’s songwriting reflections on the album. He explores his “early days” and even gives us a glimpse of the end with the second to last track on the LP. Highlights include “Ever Present Past,” “Only Mama Knows,” and “The End of the End.” Well, you can come on t...
Dec 01, 2018•1 hr 47 min•Season 4Ep. 27
In 2005, Paul McCartney released the acclaimed Chaos and Creation in the Backyard , produced by Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Beck, The Divine Comedy). Critics and fans love this album and consider it one of the high-water marks in Macca’s solo career. This is a sober and serious outing that hangs best as a full length spin. Chris, Ryan, and special guest Kit O’Toole bring order to chaos in this long Season 4 opener. We can think of nothing more to say. Click here for the Episode 26 song list. This ...
Nov 03, 2018•2 hr 26 min•Season 4Ep. 26
On 9/7/18, Paul McCartney released his Egypt Station LP. Iain Lee asked Ryan and Chris to weigh in with their initial reactions live on his show The Late Night Alternative on talkRADIO that evening at 11 pm BST. Join us as we discuss the album and share that broadcast. Iain and Katherine, thank you for having us! Please stay tuned for our full episode on Egypt Station. Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.com Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p...
Sep 13, 2018•35 min
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... let's go for a drive through Paul McCartney's 2001 album Driving Rain on our Season 3 finale. Arguably a critical and commercial failure (although possibly not), this episode walks through what some feel is the nadir of Macca's cannon. Highlights include "From a Lover to a Friend," "Magic," Your Way," and "Your Loving Flame." Stick around for a few interesting extras. Anyone tries to take it away, they'll have to answer, 'cause this is my right, we're talkin' about Driving Rain...
Aug 01, 2018•1 hr 54 min•Season 3Ep. 25
On 6/20/18, Paul McCartney released two singles off his upcoming album Egypt Station . In this bonus episode, Ryan and Chris give you their initial reactions to the two songs, "Come On To Me" and "I Don't Know." Keep your eyes and ears open for the full episode on Egypt Station coming soon. Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.com Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jul 03, 2018•27 min
We are back for the second helping of Flaming Pie . Chris and Ryan are joined by special guests Simon Barber and Brian O'Connor from the Sodajerker podcast on this two part mega-episode on 1997's Flaming Pie . Because of The Beatles Anthology , Paul McCartney refreshed his record making approach on this album. We close out the second half of Flaming Pie and dig deep into the extras. We always came back to the songs we were ... talking about. Yes, we always came back. Click here for the Episode 2...
Jun 18, 2018•1 hr 20 min•Season 3Ep. 24
This one is so big we turned it into two episodes. Chris and Ryan are joined by special guests Simon Barber and Brian O'Connor from the massive hit podcast Sodajerker on this two part mega-episode on 1997's Flaming Pie . Because of The Beatles Anthology , Paul McCartney refreshed his record making approach on this album. We touch on "Free as a Bird," "Real Love," "Now and Then," and dive head first into Flaming Pie and all of its extras. Go ahead. Have a vision. This is the one on Flaming Pie . ...
Jun 04, 2018•1 hr 41 min•Season 3Ep. 23
Going back to his Beatle days, Paul McCartney wrote many songs for other artists. Join Chris and Ryan along with author and Beatles expert Andrew Grant Jackson ( Still The Greatest ) for this special episode on the songs Paul gave away. We venture back to The Beatles' humble beginnings and walk through every song we could uncover up to present day. Artists discussed include Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas, The Fourmost, Cilla Black, The Rolling Stones, Peter & Gordon, P.J. Proby, Mary Hopk...
May 01, 2018•2 hr 40 min•Season 3Ep. 22
After the heavily produced and commercially successful Flowers in the Dirt , plus the well received The Paul McCartney World Tour in 1989-1990, Paul decided his follow-up would be recorded “live in the studio.” 1993’s Off the Ground , the fruits from the 1991-1992 recording sessions, is a mixed bag. Off the Ground: The Complete Works , a collection of B-sides and songs that didn't make the album, reveals many great songs lurking under the often flimsy surface of the official album. Highlights of...
Apr 02, 2018•2 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 21
In 1978, Laurence Juber joined Wings for their final flight. His stellar guitar work on Back to the Egg and the supporting British tour still shines after all these years. On September 23, 2017, at Atlantic Records in North Hollywood, Laurence found time between rehearsals to talk Wings, his incredible solo albums (including Standard Time , LJ , and Mosaic), his work with "yacht rock" icon Al Stewart, his television music career, as well as his fantastic book Guitar With Wings . Without question...
Mar 01, 2018•1 hr 50 min•Season 3Ep. 20
In 1989, after several years of creative struggle, Paul McCartney released Flowers in the Dirt , a critical and commercial success. From the Beatlesesque pop of "My Brave Face" to the golden-era Hollywood glamour of "Distractions," or the paternal whimsy of "Put It There," Paul is in strong writing and performing form. Also, enter Elvis Costello, his acerbic wit balancing and enhancing McCartney's creative yet cloying compositions from the 1980s. Was Elvis Paul's finest collaborator since John L...
Feb 01, 2018•2 hr 28 min•Season 3Ep. 19
We are back for Season Three! From 1984 to 1987, Paul McCartney recorded an abundance of new material. Although not canon, Return to Pepperland is a canceled album (some say) originally slated for release in 1987 to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band . Now mainly a curio, this bootleg album makes for a convenient catch-all for the stellar (and less than stellar) material from this period—songs written in the early '70s, polished gems not released until...
Jan 05, 2018•1 hr 59 min•Season 3Ep. 18
By 1985, Paul McCartney is lost. The critical and commercial bomb of Give My Regards to Broad Street severely shook his confidence. Paul jumps right back in the studio to record his "comeback album" with then in-vogue producer Hugh Padgham (Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, The Police) to turn in Press to Play in 1986. This eccentric "high 80s" album scored a few slightly successful singles including the featherweight "Press" and the #1 smash hit "Spies Like Us" for the John Landis movie of the same ...
Nov 06, 2017•2 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 17
On Monday, August 6, 2017, we sat down with Denny Laine in Evanston, IL to talk about his entire career from the 1960s to present day. We discussed songs from The Moody Blues, Ginger Baker’s Air Force, Balls, Wings, and Denny’s solo albums in this wide-ranging, two-part episode. Episode Includes: Wings Over America , Anyone Can Fly , Hometown Girls , Wings on my Feet , Lonely Road , Master Suite , All I Want is Freedom , The Rock Survivor , Reborn , Arctic Song , Colin Blunstone’s “Say You Don’t...
Sep 15, 2017•1 hr 51 min•Season 2Ep. 16
On Monday, August 6, 2017, we sat down with Denny Laine in Evanston, IL to talk about his entire career from the 1960s to present day. We discussed songs from The Moody Blues, Ginger Baker’s Air Force, Balls, Wings, and Denny’s solo albums in this wide-ranging, two-part episode. Episode Includes: Magnificent Moodies, Denny Laine String Band, Balls, Trevor Burton, Wings Wild Life , Red Rose Speedway , Ahh…Laine , Band on the Run , McGear , Venus and Mars , Speed of Sound , Wings Over America , Ho...
Sep 08, 2017•1 hr 33 min•Season 2Ep. 15
In the 1980s, Paul experimented and took a few big risks. Sometimes risks don’t pay off, and the movie Give My Regards to Broad Street was both a critical and box office failure. Failure is feedback though, and we’ll trace the effects of this flop on the rest of Paul’s career. Fascinatingly, “No More Lonely Nights,” arguably one of Paul’s biggest artistic and commercial achievements, is from the soundtrack. So are the lost Wings songs “No Values” and “Not Such a Bad Boy.” But hey, Ringo is in th...
Aug 18, 2017•1 hr 27 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Paul McCartney and George Martin follow up the smash success of Tug of War with a sequel in the also successful, if overlooked, Pipes of Peace . Denny has flown the coop, Michael Jackson shows up for a couple tracks, Ringo is back on drums, and Eric Stewart turns in stellar performances. This is “English country music” from the 1980s. Highlights include “Keep Under Cover,” “Say Say Say,” and “Through Our Love.” This is a fun episode you will want to check out. Miss it? It’s not on. Click here fo...
Jul 28, 2017•1 hr 46 min•Season 2Ep. 13
After McCartney II , Paul and the world suffered the horrible loss of John Lennon in 1980. Tug of War picks up the plot in 1982 with Paul’s touching tribute to his brother Beatle “Here Today”; two duets with Stevie Wonder, including the smash hit “Ebony & Ivory”; and collaborators like former Beatles producer George Martin, Ringo Starr, Eric Stewart, and Carl Perkins. We named our podcast after a song on this album. You might want to stop and listen up to this one. Take it away, take it away...
Jun 16, 2017•1 hr 58 min•Season 2Ep. 12
After Wings’ dissolution, Macca hid at home and recorded another truly solo album in the vein of 1970’s McCartney . Paul is responsible for nearly everything on this record. The real difference this time around? Synthesizers. Despite its experimental nature, the album birthed the number-one hit single “Coming Up” – a favorite of John Lennon’s. Believe it or not, the perennial “Wonderful Christmastime” originates from these sessions. Is this album true genius or absolute garbage? Nobody knows. Cl...
May 12, 2017•1 hr 32 min•Season 2Ep. 11
As the 1970s come to a close, Wings takes its last flight with Back to the Egg . McCartney’s answer to New Wave, the album features a brand-new Wings lineup, a dizzying array of genres, and incredible LP artwork. Although commercially unsuccessful, Back to the Egg is revered in the McCartney canon as an underground fan favorite. Love it or hate it, Chris and Ryan give their spin (it on) on it. Click here for the Episode 10 song list . Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.com Support this show http:...
Apr 21, 2017•1 hr 49 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Chris and Ryan are back with Season Two and one of Paul McCartney’s most unusual and yet rewarding and relaxing releases of the 1970s, London Town . With a working title of Water Wings , it is no surprise we find Paul and crew recording on a boat in the Virgin Islands. Album highlights include “Girlfriend,” “Don’t Let It Bring You Down,” as well as the number-one smash hit “With A Little Luck.” Click here for the Episode 9 song list . Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.com Support this show http:...
Mar 31, 2017•1 hr 51 min•Season 2Ep. 9
In 1976, Paul McCartney triumphs with his new band Wings, enjoying number one hits and a blockbuster tour. In the last episode of Season One, Ryan and Chris cover these Wings milestones and also find a moment to check in with George. Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs. What's wrong with that? Absolutely nothing. Click here for the Episode 8 song list . Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.com Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway . Hosted on Acast. See acast....
Dec 09, 2016•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 8
In a wide-ranging episode, Ryan and Chris cover Wings’ great Venus and Mars . Along the way, they touch on Jimmy McColloch’s background, the “secret Wings album” McGear by Paul’s brother Mike, solo Beatles output from 1974, and even a little something from Paul’s dad. Click here for the Episode 7 song list . Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.com Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 25, 2016•1 hr 48 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Ryan and Chris dig into Paul McCartney’s most celebrated solo album, Band on the Run . Released in 1973, it appears alongside a flood of high-quality solo Beatles material. Ryan and Chris place Band on the Run in the context of this peak period of solo Beatles output. We thought the only lonely place was on the moon. Click here for the Episode 6 song list . Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.com Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for m...
Nov 11, 2016•1 hr 41 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In 1972-73, Wings is making progress, and their second album is a considerable improvement over their first. Originally planned as a double LP, Red Rose Speedway is a modest hit and yields a number one single, “My Love.” As with Ram , however, the leftovers are as interesting as the album itself. Ryan and Chris provide a guided tour of the Red Rose Speedway that never was. Listen in and get on the right thing. An error regarding the attribution of the saxophone solo on "Leave It" is corrected in...
Oct 28, 2016•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 5
During a difficult period in 1971-72, McCartney starts his new band Wings. Their first album, Wild Life , leaves fans and critics puzzled. The series of singles that follows does not help. Ryan and Chris dig into the details of this little-known material and take a quick look at John and Yoko’s Some Time in New York City . Click here for the Episode 4 song list . Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.com Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...
Oct 15, 2016•1 hr 27 min•Season 1Ep. 4
In an explosion of creativity, McCartney produces enough material for his first solo masterpiece, Ram (1971), and has enough left over for singles, B-sides, and even future album tracks. In part two, Ryan and Chris look into the fate of Ram’s voluminous high-quality outtake material. Click here for the Episode 3 song list . Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.com Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 30, 2016•44 min•Season 1Ep. 3
In an explosion of creativity, McCartney produces enough material for his first solo masterpiece, Ram (1971), and has enough left over for singles, B-sides, and even future album tracks. In part one, Ryan and Chris cover Ram and single “Another Day.” Click here for the Episode 2 song list . Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.com Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 16, 2016•1 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 2
While dealing with the break-up of The Beatles, Paul McCartney recorded his first solo album, McCartney, at home (mostly). In Episode 1, Ryan and Chris explore this difficult but fruitful period for Sir Paul. Highlights include “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Every Night,” and “Junk.” Click here for the Episode 1 song list . Email us: takeitawaypodcast@gmail.com Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/takeitaway . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 09, 2016•51 min•Season 1Ep. 1
