A lost sci-fi musical dreamed up by Paul McCartney over 50 years ago has resurfaced, offering a engaging glimpse into the former Beatle’s creative mind. The project, which envisioned aliens landing in a flying saucer and impersonating McCartney’s band wings, never made it past the treatment stage.
mccartney’s original treatment, along wiht an expanded version penned by renowned science fiction author Isaac Asimov, has been unearthed by authors Allan kozinn and Adrian Sinclair while researching their forthcoming book, The mccartney Legacy, Volume 2: 1974-80. The book, published by HarperCollins on December 10th, sheds light on this intriguing chapter in McCartney’s career.
Following the Beatles’ phenomenal success, McCartney formed Wings, a band that included his wife Linda and former Moody Blues guitarist Denny Laine. Wings became a chart-topping sensation in the 1970s, with hits like the melancholic ballad “Mull of Kintyre,” which outsold every Beatles single in the UK.
Having already made several films with the Beatles, including the iconic A Hard Day’s Night, McCartney envisioned a cinematic project for wings. His concept involved aliens arriving on Earth,transforming into the members of Wings,and challenging the real band for supremacy.
“A ‘flying saucer’ lands. Out of it get five creatures. They transmute before your very eyes into ‘us’ [Wings]. They are here to take over Earth by taking America by storm and they proceed to do this supergroup style. Meanwhile – back in the sticks of Britain – lives the original group, whose personalities are being used by the aliens…” reads the opening of McCartney’s nearly 400-word treatment.
The project,tentatively titled Five and Five and One,featured a loose plot outline,dialogue snippets,and plot twists seemingly designed to incorporate some of McCartney’s new songs.Asimov’s revised treatment, however, was ultimately rejected by McCartney. “Nothing ever came of this because McCartney couldn’t recognise good stuff,” Asimov wryly noted.
the discovery of these treatments offers a unique window into McCartney’s creative process and his ambition to explore new artistic frontiers. While the sci-fi musical never materialized, it remains a testament to the boundless imagination of one of music’s most iconic figures.
In a fascinating twist of creative history, legendary musician Paul McCartney once teamed up with science fiction titan Isaac Asimov to develop a screenplay about a band facing an extraterrestrial encounter. The project, which never saw the light of day, offers a glimpse into the unexpected intersections of music and science fiction.
The story, conceived by McCartney in the early 1970s, centered around his band, Wings, who find themselves targeted by aliens. “Onboard the boat they are feeling depressed – huddling leather-jacketed in the corner alcove of the dining room. ‘Another fine mess you got us into Stanley,’ says one of the group,” McCartney wrote in his treatment, referencing the iconic comedy duo Laurel and Hardy.
McCartney, eager to collaborate, traveled to New York in 1974 to meet with Asimov, who was famously afraid of flying.“He can imagine himself into far-off galaxies, but he wouldn’t get on a plane,” McCartney recalled.
Asimov, renowned for his groundbreaking Foundation series, which is frequently enough cited among the greatest science fiction works ever written, took mccartney’s concept and expanded it into a five-page script. He transformed the aliens into “energy-beings” from a dying planet who sought to inhabit the bodies of the Wings musicians rather than clone them. asimov also portrayed the aliens as incapable of comprehending human emotions like love.
Asimov wrote that the aliens communicated through “thought-waves.” Upon hearing music,they were “strangely affected” and decided to use musical keys to unlock the secrets of human emotion.
While the McCartney-Asimov collaboration never materialized into a film, it remains a fascinating example of the creative synergy that can occur when two masters from different fields come together. The project highlights the enduring power of imagination and the boundless possibilities that arise when music and science fiction intersect.
Newly unearthed documents reveal a surprising collaboration between music legend Paul McCartney and renowned science fiction author Isaac Asimov. The unlikely duo teamed up in the early 1970s to develop a film musical, a project that ultimately fizzled out despite Asimov’s involvement.
The details of this unusual partnership are chronicled in ”The McCartney Legacy, Volume II: 1973-1977,” a new book by authors Peter Ames Carlin and Allan Kozinn.The book delves into McCartney’s post-Beatles career, offering a behind-the-scenes look at his creative endeavors during this period.
According to Carlin and Kozinn, McCartney initially conceived the film musical as a whimsical tale.”Paul’s treatment reads like something Paul and Linda cooked up while they were smoking something notably potent … the Laurel and Hardy reference is really bizarre,” Carlin remarked, highlighting the unusual nature of McCartney’s initial vision.
Asimov, known for his groundbreaking science fiction works, was tasked with refining McCartney’s concept. He crafted a more structured narrative, described by Carlin as “a love conquers all tale, in which mankind escapes alien conquest and inherits the universe.”
Despite Asimov’s efforts, McCartney ultimately rejected the revised treatment. “Nothing ever came of this because McCartney couldn’t recognise good stuff” was Asimov’s blunt assessment of the failed collaboration, scrawled across the first page of his 1,800-word treatment.
“We’re talking about Asimov, for God’s sake!” Kozinn exclaimed, emphasizing the significance of the author’s involvement and McCartney’s decision.
The discovery of these documents sheds light on a fascinating chapter in both McCartney’s and Asimov’s careers. It offers a glimpse into the creative process of two iconic figures and the unexpected paths their collaborations sometimes took.
“The McCartney Legacy, Volume II” promises to be a treasure trove of insights for fans of both music and science fiction. The book not only explores this intriguing collaboration but also delves into McCartney’s work with his band wings, featuring interviews with former band members and producers who worked closely with the legendary musician.
## World Today News Exclusive: Inside Paul McCartney’s Lost Sci-Fi Musical
**World Today News Senior Editor:** Thank you for joining us, Professor Kozinn. This revelation of Paul McCartney’s lost sci-fi musical treatment, *Five and Five and One*, is truly engaging. Could you shed some light on how this unexpected collaboration between a music legend and a science fiction giant came to be?
**Professor allan Kozinn (Author, *The McCartney Legacy, Volume 2: 1974 – 1980*):** Absolutely. It’s a story that involves a bit of serendipity.
As we were researching the book, we stumbled upon these intriguing documents – McCartney’s original outline and Isaac Asimov’s revised treatment – tucked away in an archive. Initially, we thought it was simply a quirky footnote in McCartney’s career, but as we delved deeper, we realized it was a captivating glimpse into a unique creative synergy.
McCartney was at the height of his success with Wings and clearly had a desire to explore new territories.He envisioned this ambitious project as a cinematic experience,a sci-fi musical with space aliens impersonating his band.
**World Today News:** And that’s where Isaac Asimov comes in?
**Professor Kozinn:** Exactly.mccartney, always up for a challenge, sought out Asimov’s expertise.He wanted to elevate the concept beyond a simple sci-fi adventure and inject intellectual depth. The meeting between these two titans of thier respective fields is quite a compelling anecdote in itself.
Asimov,famously afraid of flying,took a train from Boston to New York to meet McCartney. Imagine these two incredibly creative minds bouncing ideas off each other!
**World Today News:** Asimov was known for his meticulous world-building in his *Foundation* series. Did his influence reshape McCartney’s original concept?
**Professor Kozinn:** Absolutely.
mccartney’s initial treatment has a fun, almost vaudeville-like tone, but Asimov added a layer of complexity. he transformed the aliens from mere imitators into energy beings seeking refuge in human bodies, exploring themes of identity and emotional connection.
Asimov’s version delved into the aliens’ inability to comprehend human emotions like love.it was a thought-provoking twist that elevates the story beyond a typical alien invasion narrative.
**World Today News:** Despite the creative spark between them, the project never came to fruition. Can you offer any insight into why this film never materialized?
**Professor Kozinn**: While McCartney’s initial excitement for the project seemed genuine, his rejection of Asimov’s revised script is telling. Asimov, in his characteristically wry manner, noted that “McCartney couldn’t recognize good stuff.” Perhaps McCartney preferred a lighter approach and asimov’s more cerebral take wasn’t what he envisioned.
**World Today News:** This lost project offers a fascinating glimpse into McCartney’s creative process and his willingness to push boundaries. It begs the question, what might
have been had *Five and Five and One* seen the light of day?
**Professor Kozinn:** it’s a tantalising thought. Imagine a 1970s sci-fi musical starring Wings, with aliens grappling with human emotions and Asimov’s signature intellectual commentary woven into the mix. It would have been truly unique.
The discovery of these documents not only provides a deeper understanding of McCartney’s artistic journey but also highlights the unexpected intersections that can occur between seemingly disparate worlds – music and science fiction in this case.
It’s a reminder that even unrealized projects can offer valuable insights into the creative process and the boundless possibilities of the human imagination.
