| McGear | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 24 September 1974 | |||
| Recorded | January – February 1974 26 April 1973 ("Leave It") | |||
| Studio | Strawberry Studios,Stockport, England | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 43:30 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Producer | Paul McCartney | |||
| Mike McGear chronology | ||||
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| Singles from McGear | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
McGear is the second and final solo album by English singerMike McGear, released in 1974. The album is acollaboration between McGear and his brotherPaul McCartney, who co-wrote and produced the record. All backing tracks on the album are performed by McCartney and his bandWings, occasionally accompanied by guest artists. Lead vocals are sung by McGear.
Paul and Mike began planning for the album in July 1973.[2] After Mike left the music and poetry groupGrimms during a tour after a fight withLiverpool Poet (and fellow member)Brian Patten, Paul suggested that Mike record a single with Wings to resurrect Mike's solo career.[3] Once the single "Leave It" was recorded atAbbey Road Studios, Paul sent the tape to his in-lawsLee and John Eastman to arrange for its release, but instead they suggested recording an entire album.[3] Mike said of the album that "the whole process was magical" and that the recording "was a truly collaborative process with my older brother."[3] The rest of the album was recorded atStrawberry Studios inStockport, where Mike had recorded his previous solo albumWoman.[4][3] McCartney used the album's sessions to audition possible members ofWings after the band's lead guitarist and drummer quit the year before.[5]
When Warner Brothers signed McGear andBadfinger with some fanfare, coinciding with McCartney'sEMI contract nearing expiration, it was rumoured that Warner Brothers were trying to interest McCartney in signing with them.[citation needed]
The front cover shows Mike captured likeGulliver, surrounded by little people.[4] Included in the people are pictures of the band members and photos of other people from McGear's life, as well as a childhood picture of Paul and Mike.[3]
On the original release Paul McCartney is not credited as a musician or backing singer, although he performed both roles during the recordings.
Lead single "Leave It" reached No. 36 in the UK singles chart,[6] becoming the sole charting single by Mike McGear. The opening track on the album, "Sea Breezes", is aRoxy Music cover from theirself-titled debut album.
In 1991,McGear was re-released byRykodisc in the U.S. with a previously unreleased version of the song "Dance The Do" as a bonus track (a different mix had been issued as a stand-alone single on UK Warner Bros).
In 1992,McGear was re-released bySee For Miles Records in the U.K. with two bonus tracks, a different mix of "Dance The Do" and "Sweet Baby," which had been the B-side of the single "Leave It". The liner notes to that album quote Mike as saying that "Sweet Baby" had originally been named "All My Lovin'" but "some other group had already doneone with that name". Both of these reissues quickly went out of print.
In 2019,Cherry Red Records produced a two-disc remastered reissue on its "Esoteric Records" imprint (which features an "ER" logo duplicative of the Warner Brothers "WB" logo), with one disc the same as the 1992 reissue, and the other disc a collection of alternate takes, outtakes, and a few other songs recorded by McGear between 1973 and 1980 (including his 1976 EMI single "Do Nothing All Day").[3]
All songs by Mike McGear, Paul McCartney andLinda McCartney except where noted.[7]
2019 reissue bonus tracks:
All songs by Mike McGear, except where noted.
