Paul McCartney's son says he's ready to follow in dad's footsteps

November 4, 5:29 AMBeatles ExaminerSteve Marinucci

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     James McCartney, front, and his band Light. (Photo: Mary
     McCartney)

James McCartney, son of former Beatle Paul McCartney, will play his American debut concert Nov. 14 at Maharishi University in Fairfield, Iowa. The younger McCartney will perform during the fourth annual David Lynch “Change Begins Within” Weekend, Nov. 13 to 16. Also performing will be Donovan, who joined the Beatles in Rishikesh. Blueser Laura Dawn and her group The Little Death will fill out the bill.

The concert comes a little more than 40 years after James' father, Paul McCartney, traveled to Rishikesh, India, to study Transcendental Meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

 “James has a way with melody and a set of pipes, which are more than a match for his dad’s,” a recent article in the UK Sun declared.

In a statement issued for the concert, he said this is something he's been working towards for a while.

"I have been playing music since I was nine and writing along the way. I met my band about a year ago. Producer David Kahne introduced us -- and my dad, Paul, helped."

McCartney says his father played a big role in helping him develop his musical talent. "My dad taught me guitar when I was nine. I play a Fender Stratocaster, which Carl Perkins gave me from the seventies, and a Gibson Les Paul that my dad gave me -- heart red.

"The band consists of me, 32, on guitar, piano, and vocals; Brian Johnson, 28, on drums; Steven Bayley, 32, on guitar, synthesizers, toy piano, and harmonies; and Charles Turner, 27, on bass and harmonies, McCartney states. "I am from London and Sussex, Brian and Charlie are from Allerton, Liverpool, where my dad grew up, and Steve is from Birmingham. Brian and Charlie used to be in the Dead 60s and Steve used to be in The Open."

The group is touring and also in the midst of recording an album. "We are mixing our album in Hog Hill Studio, Sussex. The words on the album refer to spirituality, love, family, trying to sort out one’s own life, and many other things. I have written the songs over a ten-year period," he says.

"The music was inspired by the Beatles, Nirvana, the Cure, PJ Harvey, Radiohead -- and all good music. It is basically rock ‘n ‘roll, clean sounding, and vocal."

Just like his dad.