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[Kevin]

Oh Paul. But maybe this is all he wanted to be.....The Entertainer.
There's a very odd mix of people in that audience.

[Jane]

How do you think Wings compare to other 70's bands ?
Are they as good as Queen , ABBA , The Eagles ,Fleetwood Mac or ELO ?
Did Wings make better  Singles & Albums , than the above ?
Who was best Live ?
 

I would put Queen first, and from the above second - Wings, then ABBA and then the rest.
You know I love Queen, they are my favs after the Beatles of course.

[Jane]

I think the other bands mentioned were more consistent and thats why Wings isnt mentioned in the same vein. Again, not my opinion, but seemingly the publics.

This was a disadvantage at that time. But the thing is that now Wings can be easily identified, they have taken their proper place in the music world and have their face. And they seem quite consistent.

[maywitch]

Speaking of just the singles, I think Wings stand out or surpasses the other bands (except for maybe ABBA) for sure.

I don't know about the rest of the world but I think in the US the only act more successful(if we count Wings as Paul "vanity" project and thus include his few non-Wings 70's singles) was Elton John.  So Wings was really a very successful band and had a lot of hits.  They were one of the biggest acts of the 70's and I actually think the reason they are "looked down" on is because of the unfair critical bias against Paul.  Yes the music was rather eclectic, it wasn't just rock or progressive rock or pop or whatever and I do think that it's harder for some people to deal with when they can't easily classify something into a neat little box but mainly I think it was just because Paul wasn't the "cool" former Beatle.  But honestly for me the epitome of cool is not what acid dropping pot smoking hippies think. 

I actually think "the public" regards the music more positively than the people in charge do aka the "serious music" people and I think the fact that Wings sold so well(and even Wingspan did well - it went to #2 here in the States and went double platinum that's 21 years after the last Wings album)

[I_Will]

Unfortunately, regardless of the commercial success of Wings, I don't even know anyone my own age who's ever heard of them, and even many adults don't think much of them.

[tkitna]

This was a disadvantage at that time. But the thing is that now Wings can be easily identified, they have taken their proper place in the music world and have their face. And they seem quite consistent.

I disagree. At least here in america. If you were to ask 100 people who the biggest or most successful band was in the 70's, I highly doubt Wings would be mentioned. Seriously, I wouldnt even mention them, but thats just me.

[tkitna]

Unfortunately, regardless of the commercial success of Wings, I don't even know anyone my own age who's ever heard of them, and even many adults don't think much of them.

I agree 100%. It would probably be different if asked about Paul McCartneys output in the 70's, but that goes against the thread entirely.

[I_Will]

I agree 100%. It would probably be different if asked about Paul McCartneys output in the 70's, but that goes against the thread entirely.

Exactly, most people will probably hear "Band On The Run" and think "Paul McCartney", not "Wings". I am with those who see Wings really as a vehicle for Paul, not really as a bonafied entity in itself...

[Kevin]

This a link to a 1976 US review (very positive) of Venus and Mars, rather tellingly titled "McCartney, Wings better than ever."

http://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=RxsvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=U9sFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2656,2404364&dq=mccartney+wings&hl=en

Sorry, I still don't know how to post a PDF document. The paper is the, ahem, Beaver Country Times. Enjoy

[DaveRam]

In the UK Wings top 10/20 Hit singles were :

1972 Give Ireland Back To The Irish # 16
1972 Mary Had A Little Lamb # 9
1972 Hi Hi Hi / C Moon # 5
1973 My Love # 9
1973 Live & Let Die # 9
1973 Helen Wheels # 12
1974 Jet # 7
1974 Band On The Run # 3
1974 Jounior's Farm # 16
1975 Listen To What The Man Said # 6
1976 Silly Love Songs # 2
1976 Let' Em In # 2
1977 Mull Of Kintyre/Girls'School # 1
1978 With A Little Luck # 5
1979 Goodnight Tonight # 5

Twelve top 10 ten Wings singles and a further three Wings singles making the top 20 UK singles chart . Only bettered by ABBA in the UK  .

[Bobber]

^Tells me that probably nobody wanted to admit it, but lots of people were buying his records.

[DaveRam]

ABBA were a real Hit singles juggernaut in the UK in the 70's from the period 1974 to 1980 their hits on the UK singles chart are :

1974 Waterloo # 1
1975 SOS # 6
1975 Mamma Mia # 1
1976 Fernando # 1
1976 Dancing Queen # 1
1976 Money Money # 3
1977 Knowing Me Knowing You # 1
1977 The Name Of The Game # 1
1978 Take A Chance On Me # 1
1978 Summer Night City # 5
1979 Chiquitta # 2
1979 Does Your Mother Know # 4
1979 Angel Eyes/ Voulez Vous # 3
1979 Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight) # 3
1979 I Have A Dream # 2
1980 The Winner Takes It All  # 1
1980 Super Trouper # 1

Thats 17 top 10 singles 9 of which hit the UK # 1 position , ive gone up to 1980 as Paul's last Wings single was Coming Up (Live )1980 which although it was'nt a UK hit was Wings last # 1 single on the American Billboard chart that year .
ABBA only managed one American # 1 with Dancing Queen and three further US top 10's Waterloo # 6 , Take A Chance On Me  # 3 and The Winner Takes It All # 8 .
Non of their 8 Studio albums made the Billboard album chart Top 10 their highist placing been The Album (1977) # 14 , all Wings 7 studio albums made the American album chart top 10 .

[Kevin]

For comparison with ABBA here's The Eagles, who had a magnificent singles run in the US (first figures - 9 top tens including 5 number ones) but only dented the UK (second figures) once, with a dismal #8.

1972
"Take It Easy" 12
"Witchy Woman" 9
"Peaceful Easy Feeling" 22
1973
"Tequila Sunrise" 64
"Outlaw Man" 59
1974
"Already Gone" 32
"James Dean" 77
"Best of My Love" 1 1
1975
"One of These Nights" 1 / 23
"Lyin' Eyes" 2 / 23 
"Take It to the Limit" 4 /12
1976
"New Kid in Town" 1 / 20
1977
"Hotel California" 1 / 8 
"Life in the Fast Lane" 11
1978
"Please Come Home for Christmas" 18 / 30
1979
"Heartache Tonight" 1 / 40
"The Long Run" 8 / 66

[DaveRam]

It's not dissimilar for Fleetwood Mac in the UK Kevin only 2 top 10 singles Albartross re-issue # 2 and Tusk # 6
In America they had 5 top 10's one of which went to # 1 .
Queen had 10 UK top 10's one of which went to #1 and 4 American top 10's two of which went to # 1 .
ELO had 14 UK top 10's one of which went to # 1 and 5 American top 10's .
ABBA had 17 UK top 10's nine of which went to # 1 and 4 American top 10's one of which went to # 1
Wings had 12 UK top 10's one of which went to # 1 and 15 American top 10's six of which went to # 1 .
Paul had 4 more UK top 10's singles between 1971 and 1980 but i did'nt count them as they are solo singles , still 16 hits in that period is very good only ABBA beat him with 17 .
If Wings was a vanity project for Paul his commercial success on both sides of the Atlantic shows it was a project that sold singles exceedingly well , he was giving ABBA and ELO a run for their money in the UK , someone liked Wings in the 70's and thats a fact ?
And in America no group got near Wings , second biggest singles group in the world during the 70's with only ABBA beating them globally , think Wings should be given more credit for their success ?

[AngeloMysterioso]

My answers. Sorry, I came up late to this interesting thread.

How do you think Wings compare to other 70's bands ? As compared to Queen, ABBA, The Eagles,Fleetwood Mac or ELO? More or less in the same league, overall. Personally, I was more keen on Frank Zappa, Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Gentle Giant, Steely Dan, King Crimson, Emerson, Lake and Palmer and the like, back then. McCartney and Ram were good (and sometimes great), but things began to shift dangerously into insipid pop syrup with Red Rose Speedway. Band on the Run was in a class of its own, and good moments happened with parts of Venus and Mars and Back to the Egg.

Are they as good as Queen, ABBA, The Eagles ,Fleetwood Mac or ELO? In my taste, far better than ABBA; generally better than most of The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, ELO and Queen.
Did Wings make better Singles & Albums, than the above? See above answer.
Who was best Live? Only seen ELO live, once, back then. It was OK, but far, far, way far behind the other bands stated in my first answer.

It is very hard to answer these questions because to me, music from the early 1970’s was totally different (yes, you can say much better and I would be totally OK with that) from late 1970’s pop. You can’t compare Wings with Sex Pistols or the late Zeppelin with ELO, right?

That being said, I can acknowledge that saleswise, yes, all these groups had enjoyed similar popular success.

[Jane]

I did my homework today, asking some 50-year-old guys about who was popular in Russia in the 70-s. The answer was, rock: Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Uriah Heep, Queen, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Nazareth, Rolling Stones; pop-rock and pop: ABBA, Lennon, Wings, ELO, Eagles, Smokie, 10CC.
Everybody knew Wings. Their albums could be bought in the shops of the time, because, you know, as a rule, no Western music was available then. Students played them at universities, at students` summer camps, they were popular!
I don`t say they are popular now, but looking at the band now I can say that it has occupied the high place it really deserves. And I think that all those hippies who criticised it at the time now have come to accept it and its legacy.

[maywitch]

I disagree. At least here in america. If you were to ask 100 people who the biggest or most successful band was in the 70's, I highly doubt Wings would be mentioned. Seriously, I wouldnt even mention them, but thats just me.

Maybe that's the problem, we wouldn't even mention them, many probably based on reasons that have not that much to do with their music. There is nothing wrong with Wings music. They should be mentioned, vanity project or not. 

[AngeloMysterioso]

I did my homework today, asking some 50-year-old guys about who was popular in Russia in the 70-s. The answer was, rock: Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Uriah Heep, Queen, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Nazareth, Rolling Stones; pop-rock and pop: ABBA, Lennon, Wings, ELO, Eagles, Smokie, 10CC.
Everybody knew Wings. Their albums could be bought in the shops of the time, because, you know, as a rule, no Western music was available then. Students played them at universities, at students` summer camps, they were popular!
I don`t say they are popular now, but looking at the band now I can say that it has occupied the high place it really deserves. And I think that all those hippies who criticised it at the time now have come to accept it and its legacy.

Smokie… that is funny. The first time I heard of this immensely popular band ine the 1970’s USSR was by a guy my age (some 50-year-old, as you sed)… from Ukraine, a few months ago.

[Kevin]

Everybody knew Wings. Their albums could be bought in the shops of the time, because, you know, as a rule, no Western music was available then.

Isn't that a bit of a double edged sword. You're saying that most western music was banned, but that the Soviet authorities regarded Wings as so tame and inoffensive as to survive the ban? And couldn't we also draw the conclusion that Wings popularity could have been due to the fact that they were one of the few western acts freely available in the shops?
Smokie? You're saying Wings were as popular as Smokie? I'm not sure who should be the most offended.

[DaveRam]

I remember back end of the 70's everybody was jumping on the Disco band wagon , The Stones , Rod Stewart , Elton John ,Queen and ELO .
I think only ABBA and Wings really pulled it off with these two Disco influenced songs which i still think hold up today as classic Pop records ?
Those ABBA girls Agnetha and Frida  really did have exceptional voices both were Soprano's they created such a distinct sound together don't think any of today's female pop singers get close to them vocally ?
Both these songs are favourites i love pop when its done this good  

http://

Abba - Voulez Vous

http://

GOODNIGHT TONIGHT - Paul McCartney & Wings - 1979