Wings Fun Club newsletter #2 published

The Paul McCartney and Wings Fun Club was formed in late 1972. Between 1973 and 1976, the club issued some newsletters which would later evolve into the Club Sandwich newspaper. These early newsletters were either in the form of typed foolscap folio (20.3cm x 33cm) sheets or A5 (14.8cm x 21cm) booklets. Most of these were quite amateurishly done and sent out irregularly. Various MPL employees compiled them, Lucy then Nicky then Sue Cavanaugh, without forgetting Claire who launched the idea of an unofficial Wings fan club, wrote a first unofficial newsletter and contributed to the very first official ones.

My sincere thanks to Andy Weal, one of the early members of the Wings Fun Club, who helped us put together the club’s history and provided copies of some artefacts.

From Record Collector – June 1997:

[…] Club Sandwich grew out of the plain, typewritten newsletters issued by the Wings Fun Club in the early 70s, which itself developed from an unofficial fan club run by a long-forgotten McCartney devotee known only as Lucy. A girl called Claire took over the Wings newsletter in 1973, and with the blessing of McCartney’s MPL company, she launched the Paul McCartney and Wings Fan Club via MPL’s Soho Square address that year. The inaugural issue coincided with the release of “Red Rose Speedway”, and the initial membership fee was just 50p, for which fans were promised a newsletter every four to six weeks.

The first despatches were foolscap-sized, mimeographed affairs. Back in ’73, the innovation of photographs had yet to be adopted, but members were kept informed about such subjects as the James Paul McCartney TV special (the report on which suggested that “The Long And Winding Road” was edited from the final version), the recording of “Red Rose Speedway”, Wings’ first tour, the group’s visit to Marrakesh, plus a candid report on Paul’s bust for growing marijuana plants for which, revealed Claire, the ex-Beatie was fined £100. Early club offers included an exclusive Wings badge, which featured a red bird on a white background. Yours for just 12p.

For the second issue of the newsletter, MPL’s address was replaced with a more discreet P.O. box number, and the title of the organisation was amended on McCartney’s recommendation to Wings Fun Club. Official news was bolstered by fans’ letters and comments, plus a personal ads section in which eager readers requested back issues of The Beatles Book (“will pay 8p per copy”), and McCartney’s soundtrack LP for The Family Way (“will give £1”). Bootleg tapes of Wings’ 1972 university tour were also avidly sought after, and adverts soliciting them were frequently published.

By issue five, the newsletter had become an A5-sized magazine, edited by a surname-free girl called Nicky. It was still produced on the cheap, and although photographs had started to creep in, the magazine remained black-and-white. The editorial content too continued to be frank: after the unexpected departure of Wings’ members, Denny Seiwell and Henry McCulloch, Linda McCartney revealed that there had been “no row” between them and the rest of the group. “We didn’t really know Henry,” she observed, “and he didn’t know us.” The mag proved its point by reporting with some dignity on the deserters’ post-Wings activities. Among the new Club offers was a selection of Wings biros available in red, green, blue, mauve and pink – priced at 6p each.

In 1974, the Fun Club magazine turned more professional-looking, with a glossy, black-and-white cover, and generous offers to buy 10″ x 8″s of Wings’ floating line-up. At this stage, editor Nicky was joined by American MPL employee, Sue Cavanaugh, and to this day, Sue remains – notionally at least – in charge of Club Sandwich.

The last A5 Wings magazine was produced in December 1976, and was stuffed with reports of that year’s American tour, plus a multitude of club offers including a “Helen Wheels” poster at 55p, T-shirts at £1.70, and a trio of tour programmes: Europe 1972 at 30p (now worth £10), U.K. 1975 at 50p (now £25) and U.S.A. 1976 at £1.50 (£30). […]

From Record Collector – June 1997

In May 1973, the second newsletter was sent to members of the “PAUL McCARTNEY AND WINGS FUN CLUB” (just a month after the first one was issued). It covers the upcoming release of the new album – “Red Rose Speedway” – and a new single – “Live And Let Die“, the broadcast of the “James Paul McCartney” TV special, and the launch of the 1973 Wings UK tour.

Dear Friends,

Welcome to another Newsletter. Most of you are probably awaiting the release of the album and wondering what on earth has happened to it. Unfortunately, it’s been held up because of the time in producing the elaborate cover with booklet, but all the same, when you do get your copy I’m sure you’ll agree it was worth the wait. Official release date was May 4th. We can also expect a ’Live and Let Die’ single later this month, and then later on in the summer an L.P. of the television show – hope you all enjoyed the special, and wow, wasn’t it special! Showed some of the many, many sides of ’James Paul McCartney’ – most of the new numbers you heard are ones on the new L.P., so there’s a preview for you. A lot of the critics weren’t too pleased with it, but from the mail I received from fans in the States, it seems they all loved it. No doubt I’ll be hearing some of your reactions in the next couple of days.

The tour got underway at Bristol Hippodrome on the 11th, you’ll be hearing some of the new numbers then, plus, if you’re lucky, your particular favourite, I compiled a Top 10 from your votes, thank you all for sending them in. The finished list, with Maybe I’m Amazed at No.1, Yesterday at No.2, and The Mess at No.3, was passed on to Wings. In case any of you are still wondering, the Newcastle City Hall gig has had to be cancelled because the City Hall couldn’t fit them in. This means the tour now winds up at Birmingham Hippodrome on May 27th. I’ll be giving some reviews on the tour next time and printing some of your feelings about it. […]

Fans comments on ATV filming (some of the fans were able to attend this, the rest of you will have read the write up last time and seen the finished result as part of the ATV special).

”I took a friend of mine along who wasn’t particularly interested in Wings at the time. Anyway after the first half when Wings had just left the stage she turned to me and said ’How many LPs did you say Paul’s made since the Beatles split, ’cos I’ll have to get them all after that, won’t I? And now she’s a devout fan like me. But who wouldn’t be after a concert like that?” – Jane Hill

’’Sunday 18th was tremendous, I brought my friend down who was mad keen on Slade, but now I hear nothing from him about them, all he talks about is Sunday 18th and WINGS. It was good to hear McCartney do ’The Long and Winding Road’, without the strings and also good to hear again, was ‘Go Now’, a brilliant song… looking forward to the tour. – Phil

Oh yes, many people have asked about the Macs and Wings dates of birth, so to save any more queries: Paul – 18.6.42; Linda – 24.9.41; Denny S. – 10.7.43; Denny L. – 29.10.44; Henry – 21.7.43; Heather – 30.12.62; Mary – 28.8.69; Stella – 13.9.71.

Well that’s about all the news for now; please note the new address (at the top of the letter) that ALL mail must be sent to (disregard any other notepaper that was printed before the change). Badges are still available at 12p each plus SAE, but as yet we don’t have any other club offers.

See you all again soon, till then ’Smile Away’.

Claire

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