Exclusive: Paul McCartney tells me that his new album will arrive this year, before the of 2013. It may be sooner than that. The only reason McCartney would play at Clear Channel’s I Heart Radio confab in late September–which he seems to be doing– is to promote the new album. (It’s not like Clear Channel has to be persuaded to play classic Macca or Beatles.)
I ran into McCartney last night at Clive Davis’s swanky book party in the Hamptons. The eternally young ex Beatle and I discussed his recent collaboration with Italian deejays The Bloody Beetroots. I also mentioned to him how much I love Sing the Changes from his latest Fireman album. These are all considered experimental by Paul, whose last album of new material was the excellent “Memory Almost Full” in 2007.
When I asked if the new album was coming after the new year, McCartney looked surprised. “No,” he said, “Now. Before that.”
That means that 2013 was the year of Bowie, Stewart, Sting, Elton, two new Stones songs, four new Fleetwood Mac songs, a few things from Prince, Eric Burdon, Jimi Hendrix, and now Paul. (The Rod Stewart album, called “Time,” was botched in the U.S.)
Other reports suggest the McCartney album will be very modern with Mark Ronson producing at least three tracks. We are ready!
