Laurence Juber talks about Peter Asher and Paul McCartney films
down the music to keep it sparse, like the bare places on a canvas that the emotion could fill. After this, there was a jam session, taking the ideas from the electric guitar and cello and weaved them in and out to create an emotional landscape.”
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney: Man on the Run
The Coda Collection
Launched April 18
Paul McCartney: Man on the Run contrasts with Peter Asher: Everywhere Man by focusing on McCartney’s life post-Beatles, especially his time with Wings. The timing of this documentary coincides with the release of the comprehensive, remastered edition of the deluxe Red Rose Speedway. Laurence Juber was interviewed in the documentary for his insights from being McCartney’s lead guitarist in Wings. Juber’s work can be heard on the next album by the band led by trading vocals with Denny Laine. The Red Rose Speedway reissue included the 1972 James Paul McCartney television special, featuring the debut concert of the Wings lineup album release party, a video of them preparing for the 1973 James Paul McCartney TV concert, a deleted scene that takes place at a recording studio, as well as the song outtakes. Juber discussed the timeframe of the documentary with Goldmine, “James Paul McCartney TV show made in 1973 is completed by the fact that we were in New Orleans, we had just wrapped ‘High, High, High’, or maybe we had just done it, and now we’re doing another song, so that’s probably ‘My Love’. We have to track the filming to see which songs are what.”
Juber went on to mention the contrasting aspects of McCartney’s songwriting talents, “While he’s capable of writing anything across the board, from pop hits to concept albums, growing up with The Beatles, his musical sense, about what sparked his creative process, continued on through The Beatles era and beyond with Wings. His sense of melody and harmony, and his way of writing and performing songs was steeped in the British music scene that exploded in the ‘60s.”
Paul McCartney’s Guitar Techniques
Laurence Juber shared more about being a guitarist with Wings, “I learned so much, on a practical level, about a great range of different guitar techniques. With the McCartney tune “Junior’s Farm,” with its Grady Martin-inspired chicken pickin’ guitar work, which is kind of country style, leading into the first slide guitar solo, which is very swampy rootsy bluesy rock. Then there is the second slide guitar solo which goes to more of a Duane Allman influenced sound. If you think about it, there are three completely different approaches to slide playing in one song. Working with him allowed me to develop those areas of guitar technique which I otherwise might not have gravitated to. We ended up taking “Junior’s Farm” in slightly non-linear directions. We kept that power of that, but in some respects, moved it off-piste, so to speak.” Juber concluded, “The invitation to work with Paul on his next album is waiting for me after I finish scoring the Asher documentary.”