Just received this notification of a new issue of Maccazine. This is a fabulous magazine about Paul McCartney and if you do not already subscribe, I recommend and encourage that you do so!
I distinctly remember the first issue of this magazine that I purchased several years ago. I was thoroughly impressed and I felt the desire and the need to purchase all of the English language back issues. Getting these magazines are more like getting new books rather than magazines as they are so extensive in their coverage of specific topics.
Below you will receive a recent email sent to me as a subscriber of the magazine. Enjoy!
For members of the Paul McCartney fanclub the Club Sandwich Maccazine is part of the membership 2026
Truly an excellent well-crafted magazine about Paul McCartney:
Maccazine
The email note I received from Kars Hazelaar of MACCAZINEdescribing the contents and details of the fabulous new issue:
Here’s about our new fantastis issue: The Maccazine special you’re about to dive into is a deeply personal tribute to a part of McCartney fandom that has always held a special place in my heart–the ‘Wings Fun Club’ and it’s legendary magazine, ‘Club Sandwich’. For those who might not know, the ‘Wings Fun Club’ was more than just a fan club. It ran from 1973 until the late 1990’s, offering fans like me an intimate connection with Paul McCartney and his world. Before the internet existed, through ‘Club Sandwich’, we got exclusive content, rare photos, and that feeling of being part of something much bigger than just a club – it felt like family.
I remember my first taste of Paul’s music vividly. It was the early 80’s and I caught the music video for “Coming Up!” as it was featured on an episode of Saturday Night Live. From that moment on I was hooked. Over the years, my obsession with Paul only grew…so did my record collection. I spent countless hours ravaging my parents’ records, and music shops seeking out all McCartney-related music. And then along came the Fun Club, a game changer for me. Discovering it in the back of a music magazine felt like stumbling onto a hidden treasure. I quickly sent in my hard earned allowance money for a membership, and when that first brown envelope from the UK arrived, it was like Christmas morning all over again!
Every issue of ‘Club Sandwich’ was a window into Paul’s life, his music and his fans. It offered so much more than just updates; it brought us closer to him in a way that no other fan club did. The posters, the postcards, the quizzes, the merchandise, the quirky articles and photos – it was all part of the magic.
This special edition of Maccazine is my way of paying tribute to that era and sharing my journey with fellow McCartney fans. After many years of deep research on this aspect of his career that remains a mystery to many, I wanted to tell the story of one of the greatest fan clubs ever. A true labor of love for me to present the story told through images, three decades of memorabilia, fan stories, and the history of the club. It also serves as a reference manual for those trying to collect Fun Club related items and ‘Club Sandwich’ issues.
Whether you were part of the Fun Club back then or discovering it now, I hope this brings back the same excitement and wonder I felt each time I opened a new issue of ‘Club Sandwich’.
Here’s to the memories, the music and the fans. I would like to give a huge thank you to Maccazine for helping me bring this tribute to life!! All the best!
Dale ‘Pantz’ Pantalione Thanks for being a member- On behalf of the The Maccazine team
Kars Hazelaar
A couple of sample pages:
This magazine or (Maccazine) if you prefer, is a wonderful subscription to have in your McCartney collections. If you prefer, you can also order the issues individually if you would prefer. They have a great staff at the magazine and are responsive to any questions you may have!
When John Lennon and his group The Quarrymen stepped onto the back of a wagon in Rosebery Street on 22nd June 1957, Charlie Roberts borrowed a camera and took a few photos of the event. It was just a group of friends having fun at a street party.
Once again, Luca Perasi has written another fine book about an album from the Paul McCartney album catalog with Wings London Town. With his superb research skills, I have made it a happy routine and necessity to acquire all of Luca’s books for my book collection!
If you have not read a Luca Perasi book before, now would be an appropriate time to explore the man’s talents!
LONDON TOWN- A Wings album that McCartney collectors have yearned for a boxed-set archive set to be issued! I concur with that wish as the material on this album should be given its proper recognition!
Wings London Town
Back cover of the book: containing a synopsis of the title!
Wings London Town
AMAZON UK DESCRIPTION OF THE BOOK:
“Released in March 1978, London Town is an interesting turning point along Wings’ musical trajectory, even though the album was the outcome of a rather complicated situation, which resulted in the group’s line-up crumbling and downsizing to a trio, as happened for Band on the Run. Although not as successful as the earlier album, it remains one of the most charming episodes, if not entirely consistent, within the group’s discography.
Within a musical scene dominated by punk and disco music, London Town is imbued by many influences that reinforced McCartney’s own identity and artistic style. Beside its folk-acoustic flavour – the result of the songwriting collaboration between Paul and Denny Laine – the album features a modern touch with the use of synthesizers which prove that McCartney’s interest in electronic music was alive way before McCartney II. The use of sound effects (seagulls, Morse code signals, studio chatter, laughter and sneers) helps bringing the music to life and adds a filmic quality to the whole album and to its almost impressionistic approach.
The decision to record part of London Town on a boat amid the Virgin Islands, meant that McCartney prioritised feeling over anything else for his music. This form of isolation, which had never been tried before by Wings, created a relaxed atmosphere that contributed a variety of sounds, flavours and moods that perfectly illustrate why this album remains so popular among fans.
Enriched by images and photos, the volume London Town, The Story of an Adventurous Album tells of one of McCartney’s most brilliant, although eccentric, records. In its detailed account of the album’s creation and analysis of its songs, based on contemporary sources and in-depth interviews by the author with assistant engineers Tim Summerhayes (“Mull of Kintyre”) and Tom Anderson (who helped Geoff Emerick on the Fair Carol boat) or arrangers Wil Malone and Mick Vickers, the book walks readers through various aspects of the album, from the technical side (the recording equipment used in the Caribbean, the instrumentation) to McCartney’s skills for arranging and producing music, with his usual strokes of genius scattered throughout.
The volume covers the timeline of the sessions, the stories behind the songs of the album, material from the period (the many McCartney demos including the legendary “Waterspout”, the single “Mull of Kintyre” / “Girls’ School”), their harmonic and rhythmic inventions, the lyrics’ analysis, the commercial success, the promotional strategy, the critical reception. The departures of Wings’ members Jimmy McCulloch and Joe English are also explored, as well as Denny Laine’s project Holly Days.
Innocent and sinister, elegant and grotesque, dreamlike and sullen, catchy and inconsequential, romantic and salacious; ladies and gentlemen, London Town. A fascinating insight into the most “atmospheric” album by Wings.”
A signed book plate edition of the book from the author. This was acquired from another well-known collector, Edward Eikelenboom. Since there were only 25 signed copies of the book issued, I was very grateful for Edward’s efforts on my behalf to secure the last numbered copy!
The book’s Table of Contents summarizes the main topics covered:
Other Luca Perasi book titles: An impressive catalog, Luca!
Strongly encourage you to check out the rest of Luca Perasi’s literary catalog! You will be very pleased and well-informed as a result!
Take A “Magical Mystery Tour” through the Beatles’ Deep Tracks. The Beatles’ music has become so ingrained in our culture that their songs have become an integral part of our everyday lives. Who doesn’t know the words to “Hey Jude” or “Let It Be”? Who hasn’t been moved by the poetry of “Eleanor Rigby” or energized by that opening chord of “A Hard Day’s Night”?
Shannon (MacDonald)–HER EXCELLENT BOOK ABOUT THE HARD DAY’S NIGHT HOTEL IN LIVERPOOL HAS BEEN ISSUED
I recently received my copy of the Shannon (MacDonald) book of her collection of beautiful paintings she had done for the Hard Day’s Night Hotel in Liverpool. I am overwhelmed with the excellent quality of her work. Her book, co-written with Liverpool legend, Bill Heckle, is a wonderful addition to anyone’s Beatles book collection. You know a painter and artist is extremely talented when you have difficulty in being able to distinguish Shannon’s paintings and prints, from photographs. Her detail and use of proper lighting is exquisite and elegant!
The late Beatles associate and close friend, Neil Aspinall gave Shannon his highest praise, a strong endorsement, and compliments about her work! It cannot get much better than that!
Each room in the hotel that features a Shannon painting has a special theme coinciding with a specific important event or landmark in the Beatles careers! One can only marvel at the timeline that was necessary for artist Shannon to initiate and complete such a monumental task! The large format book works well in properly displaying the artist’s fine work!
I have included several links in this blog post that I have repeated throughout this post to ensure that you do not miss anything about this extraordinary artist. Not only are the links provided to Shannon’s website, but also a link about the forthcoming documentary made about her life produced by noted filmmaker Simon Weitzman that was discussed on the excellent podcast of James D. Jones entitled Beatles-A-Rama TV
All of Shannon, SHANNiMATiONS STUDiOS, The Shannon Gallery, Hard Day’s Night Hotel, Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, and Cavern Club Liverpool materials, contained on the above website(s) and in this email (blog post), are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission by Shannon MacDonald. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright, or other notice from copies of content.
Shannon discusses the documentary of her life in this Beatles-A-Rama TV program:
All of Shannon, SHANNiMATiONS STUDiOS, The Shannon Gallery, Hard Day’s Night Hotel, Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, and Cavern Club Liverpool materials, contained on the above website(s) and in this email (blog post), are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission by Shannon MacDonald. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright, or other notice from copies of content.
The back cover of the book which provides some background regarding the books contents:
All of Shannon, SHANNiMATiONS STUDiOS, The Shannon Gallery, Hard Day’s Night Hotel, Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, and Cavern Club Liverpool materials, contained on the above website(s) and in this email (blog post), are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission by Shannon MacDonald. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright, or other notice from copies of content.
All of Shannon, SHANNiMATiONS STUDiOS, The Shannon Gallery, Hard Day’s Night Hotel, Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, and Cavern Club Liverpool materials, contained on the above website(s) and in this email (blog post), are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission by Shannon MacDonald. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright, or other notice from copies of content.
All of Shannon, SHANNiMATiONS STUDiOS, The Shannon Gallery, Hard Day’s Night Hotel, Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, and Cavern Club Liverpool materials, contained on the above website(s) and in this email (blog post), are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission by Shannon MacDonald. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright, or other notice from copies of content.
My personal favorite painting (print) in the book:
Shannon did more than 100 paintings for the hotel and I would like to illustrate my favorite painting from her collection that was located in Room 323 of the Hotel. Each photo of a painting in the book has an accompanying explanation of the inspiration for the painting in that particular room. My particular favorite is her painting of John and Paul when they came to introduce Apple in New York in 1968. Here is the description of the background and inspiration for the paining in room 323:
All of Shannon, SHANNiMATiONS STUDiOS, The Shannon Gallery, Hard Day’s Night Hotel, Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, and Cavern Club Liverpool materials, contained on the above website(s) and in this email (blog post), are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission by Shannon MacDonald. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright, or other notice from copies of content.
Please take the time to investigate and explore all of the links provided in this blog post. There are links provided for those that are interested in adding this wonderful book to their Beatles libraries directly from the Shannon website! I am so happy that I acquired this wonderful book for my Beatles collection!
Make sure you check out the forthcoming documentary about Shannon’s life produced by Simon Weitzman when it appears!
Don’t miss this wonderful YouTube interview with Shannon by James D. Jones where the documentary is discussed
When John Lennon and his group The Quarrymen stepped onto the back of a wagon in Rosebery Street on 22nd June 1957, Charlie Roberts borrowed a camera and took a few photos of the event. It was just a group of friends having fun at a street party.
The Beatles Live at Candlestick Parkby Amelia Davis (Author), Jim Marshall (Photographer), Joel Selvin (Contributor)
Looking forward to this special book of the pictorial record of noted photographer, Jim Marhall’s photographs of the last concert that the Beatles officially played until their rooftop swansong atop their 3 Savile Row Apple headquarters in 1969. The August 1966 Candlestick park concert was to inaugurate the Beatles exclusively (in the studio years) where they would push the boundaries of music beyond belief.
This new book by author and curator of the Marshall photographic estate, Amelia Davis, will be a great treasure for all Beatles fans and collectors to acquire for their collections. I have already pre-ordered my copy as this concert had so many historical implications! The book also features an extra bonus, an essay by Joel Selvin, a well-known American San Francisco -based music critic and author.
Excellent interview with Amelia Davis and Joel Slevin by Steve Marinucci:
“Relive The Beatles’ last live public concert through the eyes of the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll photographer Jim Marshall. This deluxe volume collects over 150 photos and proof sheets, half of them never before seen.
Jim Marshall’s photographs of The Beatles’ 1966 concert in San Francisco capture a historic convergence: one of the biggest names in music photography and one of the most beloved bands in history. Specially requested as photographer by The Beatles, Marshall immortalized not only the concert itself, but also intimate moments backstage, such as the musicians meeting the Baez sisters and hanging out in the locker room before the show.
This definitive collection presents the photographs at large scale and in the rich high-contrast tones Marshall favored. An in-depth essay by music historian Joel Selvin brings the moment to life. Whether you were there at Candlestick Park or wish you had been, this is your chance to see The Beatles as you’ve never seen them before.
EXCLUSIVE WINDOW INTO THE CONCERT: Jim Marshall was the only photographer allowed backstage to photograph The Beatles during the Candlestick Park concert. This book brings you into the historic moment and makes you feel like part of the band.
NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN CONTENT: Marshall’s photographs from this event have never been published all together in a single book, and half the images were never published at all. Plus, it includes Marshall’s proof sheets, from which he selected his iconic shots.
PHOTOGRAPHY ICON: Jim Marshall is the great rock ‘n’ roll photographer, as his images of The Beatles prove. In addition to being a legendary artist, he was a peer, colleague, and friend to musicians, and he documented countless seminal musical moments throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
ANNIVERSARY YEAR: August 2026 marks the 60th anniversary of The Beatles’ last live public concert. Celebrate by going back in time through these incredible photographs.”
“Perfect for:
Beatles fans; Jim Marshall fans; Music history buffs; Photographers and photography book collectors; Birthday or any special occasion gift-giving to any devoted Beatlemaniac; Anyone looking for a great present for music lovers
I know that all Beatles fans, Beatle historians and music fans in general, will want to add this book to their collections as this concert was to reflect the line in the song Tomorrow Never Knows that would claim that this was the end of the beginning….”
The front cover of the August 2026 book release by Thelma (Pickles) McGough:
Thelma McGough
This is a book that I have anxiously anticipated for a considerable amount of time. It promises to most certainly deliver many fascinating stories about postwar Liverpool, the early Beatles, and a lady trying to find her identity along the way during those very hectic times!
This post will be amended once notification of a US release is posted!
320 pages Publisher HarperNorth
AMAZON UK DESCRIPTION OF THE BOOK:
“The unmissable memoir of a life at the heart of 60s culture – from Lennon and McCartney, to the Mersey Beat Poets and more.
Who was John Lennon’s first girlfriend? Who is the only woman to have dated Lennon and McCartney? And Tom Wolfe. And Anthony ‘Madchester’ Wilson. And married Roger McGough?
Thelma McGough is all these things – but as her captivating memoir shows, she is far more than that. While those relationships gave her a unique vantage point on the cultural revolution of the swinging sixties, her real journey has always been towards knowing who she really is – as a daughter, a partner, a mother – and crucially, in her own right.
Thelma’s astonishing life is shot through with fierce ambition to become an artist, while navigating incredible love affairs, bearing witness to pop history, raising her sons and tracing the secret at the heart of her family.
Now, she shares her story, along with diary entries, photos and letters, a journey not just from deprived wartime Liverpool through to era-defining moments in pop history, but a story of breaking the confines of class, identity and what it means to find your voice.“
This appears like it will be an incredible memoir by Thelma McGough, and I am sure that many others share my interest in reading this book!
An interview conducted by Beatles historian, Mark Lewisohn with Thelma McGough:
These personal memoirs of people that had a role to play in the magical story of the Beatles hold a great fascination for me. Their perceptions of these four personalities who in retrospect seemed destined for a magical journey are valuable tools in understanding the story that over 3000 Beatles books cannot capture in totality the complexity (yet ironically also the simplicity) of what happened!
Thank you, Thelma, for your recollections and your memories!
