McCartney announces concert tour

Press, 1 September 1989, Page 27

McCartney announces concert tour

By

JOANNE KENEN

NZPA-Reuter New York Paul McCartney, in a rare press conference, said that his 1989 world tour will include his first on-stage performance of “Hey Jude” and other hits the Beatles recorded after their concert touring days were over. McCartney also said he and other former Beatles had finally resolved some of their legal disputes. He sounded upbeat but gave no details. “I think we’ve settled — finally, after about 20 ' years, we’re sorting it all out,” he said, without elaborating in response . to a question about barbs ; he and Ringo Starr have / been quoted as exchanging about each other. A spokeswomen for

Leonard Marks, a New York attorney who has been involved in Beatlesrelated litigation, said the firm had no immediate comment. McCartney brought his new five-member band to New York for the day to announce the details of his first North American tour in 13 years. It will begin in Los Angeles on November 27. “It’s been a long time since I was on the road, and I can’t wait to get out there and play with this new band. We’re not trying to conquer the world ... just tour it,” he said. Asked about rumours that the guest artists would include Elvis Costello, a some-time songwriting collaborator, or Julian Lennon, son the the slain Beatle, John

Lennon, McCartney said there were no definite plans and all depended on “who shows up at the gigs.” McCartney, his wife Linda and the four other band members played a brief set, including his hit “Moving On,” for a cheering crowd of radio disc jockeys, rock critics, and reporters at a crammed Broadway theatre. He said his tour would include songs from his early rock and roll days, the Beatles, his later band Wings, solo works, and cuts from his June, 1989 album, “Flowers in the Dirt.” Among them would be “Hey Jude” and some songs from the Sergeant Pepper era. “I’ve never performed them on stage. That’s

nice because they’re fresh for me,” he said. “I’ve never actually done them before.” McCartney last toured the United States with Wings in 1976. His 1989 tour will take him to Los Angeles, Chicago, Montreal and New York before Christmas. A second leg will swing through other cities in 1990. He has not ruled out accepting corporate sponsors but has asked the environmentalist group Friends of the Earth to shre his concert platform, saying that he was more interesed in saying something about the environment than about a soft-drink. The musician said it is possible he will also decide to donate part of the proceeds to Friends of the Earth.