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March 2005
Recent photos
of Stella
and son Miller. Click here
March 26, 2005 -- Hamstead & Highgate Express
Hunter hits the mark with talk on his memoirs
Hunter Davies' career began as a Sunday Times journalist where he got to interview and then become friends with Paul McCartney.
Now 68, the Highgate resident managed to scoop the coveted role as The Beatles official biographer.
"I said to Paul, there ought to be a proper biography of the Beatles, telling people why you've got funny haircuts and why the Beatles is spelt the way it is," Davies told an audience at Highgate Library last Thursday.
"Isn't that funny, that people don't ask about that now, but people used to get it wrong all the time. So I sat down with Paul and he helped me to write a letter to (Beatles manager) Brian Epstein."
Eventually Davies signed a contract with Epstein and a publisher to write the book, allowing the writer into key moments in their lives.
He said: "I was walking with Paul on Primrose Hill. It was the first day of spring, much like today was. And one of us, probably Paul, but I can't remember who it was, said: "It's getting better."
"Paul started to laugh and I asked him why and he told me that when they had been in Australia on tour Ringo had been ill and they had another drummer play.
"Every night, after they had played, they would ask him "how are you getting on Jimmy" and he would say It's getting better.
"Paul just started to sing "It's getting better, It's getting better all the time... he went home then to St John's Wood and wrote the song."
March 25, 2005 -- Thunder Bay Source News
PAUL McCARTNEY TOUR DATES STILL UP IN THE AIR
Plans surrounding Paul McCartney's upcoming album and tour are still up in the air. Beatlefan magazine reports that his U.S. tour dates are currently being reworked and need to be finalized before an official announcement is made.
It was originally thought that McCartney would be announcing the official itinerary of his upcoming 38-city U.S. tour the week after his Super Bowl half-time appearance in February. So far, the only shows confirmed by McCartney's management are the opening date on September 16th in Miami at the American Airlines Arena, and the last show, slated for November 30th in Los Angeles at either the Staples Center or the Hollywood Bowl.
Meanwhile, according to the fan Website The Macca Report, Nigel Godrich, one of the producers of McCartney's still-untitled new album, reports that the CD will be released on September 20th. Earlier this month McCartney's lead guitarist Rusty Anderson told LAUNCH that McCartney has so much new material that he believes that he might be releasing two new albums from the current crop of recording sessions.
* If Godrich is correct about
the September 20th release date, and McCartney sticks to the
September 16th opening date of the tour, this will mark the first
time that McCartney has hit the road in support of a new album
prior to its release.
* McCartney's new album has been recorded in both London and
Los Angeles, and features tracks recorded with his touring band,
various rock and classical session players, as well as several
songs with McCartney playing all the instruments himself.
* McCartney is rumored to be adding dates in Mexico, Australia
and Japan for the first half of 2006.
March 25, 2005
Stella interviews cartoonist
In the April issue of Interview Magazine Stella McCartney interviews cartoonist L. Crumb. There is a photo of Stella as a child on the contributor page.
March 24, 2005
London, Tailor-Made
A new generation of master craftsmen is shaking up Savile Row-and bringing a modern sensibility to the world of custom clothing and accessories.
Stella McCartney and Pamela Blundell have both launched bespoke lines that feature softer, more curvaceous shapes and have won over the likes of such hard-to-please divas as Madonna and Kylie Minogue. Add to that the slew of designers crafting handmade shoes, and a visit to London can turn you into a bespoke addict.
Buyer beware: One-of-a-kind clothes don't come cheap, and they require serious scheduling. It takes several appointments and many months to create clothes that fit you like a second skin. After all, you can't rush perfection.
Paul McCartney
and his first wife, Linda, were
both fans of Tommy Nutter's over-the-top clothes, so it's no
surprise that when their daughter Stella McCartney opened her
first London store, she asked former Nutter tailor Henry Rose
to oversee her bespoke salon.
Clients (both men and women) have a dedicated drawing room on
the second floor of the glamorous Mayfair town house. There they
are shown a beautiful, oversized book of more than 50 illustrations
for trousers, jackets, suits (from $3,990), skirts, and overcoats.
McCartney's salon excels at mixing soft drapery with an edgy
rock-and-roll feel by using vintage cloth and her signature motif:
a single pink buttonhole placed somewhere on the item. Every
stage of the process is photographed and sent to McCartney herself
for approval. 30 Bruton St.; 44-207/518-3100; www.stellamccartney.com.
March 23, 2005"Paul McCartney Live in Red Square" to be released on DVD
Click to pre- order (US & Canada only)
The 180-minute concert film of Sir Paul's Red Square concert (May 24, 2003) will be released on DVD on May 31st.
A feature-length world premiere special that tells the story of the ex-Beatle's historic visit to Russia on May 24, 2003. Marking the first time that McCartney had set foot on Russian soil, this concert and documentary also reveals the secret love affair that existed between the Russian people and McCartney during the Communist era.
March 23, 2005
LIPA AUSTIN, TEXAS AUDITIONS - APRIL 9
Sir Paul McCartney's fame school leaves no stone unturned in its quest to unearth the stars of tomorrow and now it has taken its trawl to Austin, Texas!
The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) has announced plans to hold US auditions in Austin on April 9.
LIPA rarely holds auditions in the United States and hundreds of talented young Americans are expected to try and win a place at the college.
Sir Paul says: "LIPA provides a tremendous learning experience for many young people who want to enter the music business and other performing arts.
"We are so pleased to offer auditions in the US, and are especially pleased to have them in Austin, a city where music is such an important part of the culture."
March 23, 2005 -- Paulmccartney.com
'EACH ONE BELIEVING' ART PRINTS NOW IN ONLINE STORE
Six very special new items have just been added to the PM.com shop. Three collages and three prints all using photos taken by official tour photographer Bill Bernstein have been produced to celebrate Paul's recent tour's 'Back In The World' and '04 Summer'.
These fantastic Art Prints are reproduced from Paul McCartney's recent exhibition which launched the tour book 'Each One Believing'. They are high quality digital photographic light-jet prints on crystal archival paper and feature a Paul McCartney signature scanned on to show their authenticity.
The image size is 10 x 8 inches and there is a 2 inch border making the print ideal for framing.
The six prints are entitled as follows; £100 ($192) each
'Red Square At Night' - photograph by Bill Bernstein, taken in Moscow on 24th May 2003.
'Red Square Reflection' - photograph by Bill Bernstein, taken in Moscow on 24th May 2003.
'Piano Point' - photograph by Bill Bernstein, taken in Paris on 25th March 2003.
'Dream Tonight 2004' - collage by Caroline Grimshaw, photographs by Bill Bernstein.
'Each One 2004' - collage by Caroline Grimshaw, photographs by Bill Bernstein.
'Shine On 2004' - collage by Caroline Grimshaw, photographs by Bill Bernstein.
Go to www.paulmccartneyshop.com for more information
and to view the prints.
March 22, 2005 -- PA News
Veggie Diet Helps Me Live Longer - Mills McCartney
Heather Mills McCartney claims a vegetarian diet may help cure cancer.
The former model has joined husband Sir Paul in extolling the virtues of a meat-free lifestyle.
She became a vegetarian after losing a leg in a motorcycle accident 12 years ago.
The wound became infected and she was in danger of undergoing further amputation, she said, until she cut meat and fish from her diet.
In an article for London's Evening Standard, Mills McCartney wrote: "As I watched more and more of my leg disappear, I decided to discharge myself from hospital.
"A girlfriend of mine had breast cancer. Although not scientifically proven, she believed she went into remission after following a vegetarian programme at America's Hippocrates centre in West Palm Beach, Florida.
"In desperation, I went to the States. The moment I arrived they took me off all my medication... Just 10 days of a strict vegetarian diet, wheatgrass juice and placing garlic poultices on my wound (Owwww!) and I was healed as were scores of people around me, from addicts to cancer sufferers and non-insulin dependent diabetics."
She added: "I managed to stay meat and fish-free for years. When I briefly went back to eating it, it coincided with my contracting cancer of the uterus. I vowed from then on that vegetarianism was the healthy lifestyle for me."
And Mills McCartney declared: "I find it astonishing that people keep fuelling their bodies with junk as if they were immortal. Maybe nearly dying four times, as I did after an accident with a police motorbike in 1993, has made me really appreciate life."
Since meeting former Beatle Sir Paul she is now a vegetarian for ethical reasons too, she said.
Mills McCartney wrote the article after a recent study which claimed parents who put their children on a vegan diet could be harming their development.
Sir Paul was so incensed that he rang a radio station to rubbish the report.
Like the musician's late wife,
Linda, Mills McCartney serves up only vegetarian
food at home.
The anti-landmines campaigner Mills McCartney said dinner party
guests are treated to "fake chicken, duck and steak"
made from soya or tofu.
March 20, 2005 -- Sunday Times
Check out the newly discovered Diary of The Beatles' late road manager Mal Evans. Click here and scroll to "Beatles News."
March 19, 2005
A video is posted with
Paul talking about the Adopt-A-Minefield Gala scheduled for Saturday, May 28 at the Swissotel Duesseldorf Neuss. Both Paul and
Heather will host the event. Click here to see video or copy and paste the URL into Windows Media Player.
Tickets
Tickets are immediately available. The minimum donation is 450 euros ($600).
Ticket hotline: Tel. +49 - (0) - 211- 36 78 621 (Monday through Friday 9:30 am - 6:00pm) or fax +49 - (0) - 211 - 35 36 33.
March 19, ,2005 -- Contact Music
MILLS HITS OUT AT BLOOD SPORTS
Ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney's wife Heather Mills is furious with people who engage in blood sports to supposedly eliminate pests in the countryside.
The glamorous former model is disgusted by the arrogance of fox-hunters, and believes that the sport is needless.
She says, "Anyone who wishes to chase and terrorize a wild animal for sport has a cruel streak in their personality."
And Mills is further incensed as her rock legend husband lives in the countryside and has never considered foxes pests.
She explains, "Paul has lived on 4,000 square metres for over 20 years and never had to kill one animal. Even though he has lambs he doesn't have a problem with foxes or any wildlife.
"These arrogant hunters break the law and, worse, wasted all that time in parliament debating the issue that could have been better spent elsewhere."
March 19, 2005 -- OIART.org
Jessica Lee assistant manager for Ocean Way studios talks about Paul McCartney
Q: Okay, it's drooling fan time for me. Did Paul McCartney bring his '63 Hofner Bass (Ed Sullivan show 1964), his Epiphone '62 Casino ("Taxman" solo) and '65 Texan acoustic ("Yesterday"), and his '60 Les Paul Standard sunburst (RARE) that Linda bought him???? Did you get to see them???
Jessica: He brought a whole truck full of gear!
Q: I heard the studio was
very carefully locked down when they were in. What are some of
the security concerns you have to deal with?
Jessica:
We have a good security system/protocol
in place but obviously more heightened when a high profile client
is in the studio.
Q: I hear McCartney is a pretty
nice person to have around, what was the session like?
Jessica:
The sessions were very chill.
Very fun person to have around!
March 18, 2005 -- Sun Movie Critic
Late Wings member remembered
Two films featuring music by Linda McCartney, both Baltimore premieres and one a short film Palme d'Or winner at the Cannes Film Festival, will be shown tonight as part of an effort to raise money for breast cancer awareness and detection.
Seaside Woman, an animated film directed by Oscar Grillo and featuring music by "Suzy and the Red Stripes" (really Paul McCartney's Wings, with Linda on lead vocals), was honored at Cannes in 1980. Also showing will be Ken Vrana's Snow Angels, a documentary look at three women with breast cancer that is dedicated to Linda McCartney (who died of breast cancer in 1998) and features one of the last songs she recorded.
The films begin at 8 p.m. at Shriver Hall, on the campus of Johns Hopkins University, and will be preceded by an hour of live music. The evening is sponsored by the Garland Appeal, a fund-raising campaign for breast cancer awareness endorsed by Paul McCartney; the Ruscombe Mansion, a Baltimore holistic treatment facility; and the Johns Hopkins Center for Social Concern.
Tickets are $25-$75. Visit www.garlandbaltimore.com
March 17, 2005 -- Contact Music
Sir Paul McCartney's wife Heather Mills embarked on a punishing fitness regime to maintain her sexy physique after the birth of baby Beatrice.
However, unlike many image-conscious celebrities today, the blonde beauty, who tirelessly campaigns as a United Nations goodwill ambassador, is snubbing diets in favour of wholesome natural food.
She says, "I don't believe in diets because I tried them all while modelling in my twenties - my weight yo-yo'd and all I could think about was food.
"Being a vegetarian, I eat a varied and wholesome diet. I simply eat no white produce if I'm gaining a few pounds and treat myself if my clothes feel loose.
Mills has also returned to the gym, working out five days in a row: "When I eventually did get back to the gym, I started gradually with two days a week, varying my workouts with Pilates, yoga, bike training and weights."
But she's found that the hardest part of staying in shape is "the discipline of going to the gym in the rain, sleet and snow when all you want to do is stay in bed".
March 17, 2005 -- Westword.com
...the paparazzi keep coming around -- no surprise, given that Norman Cook (Fat Boy Slim) lives next door to none other than Paul McCartney. Cook says he and Sir Paul "never talk music. I'm such a Beatles fan that if we did, I'd bore the pants off him." Rather, "we compare notes about dodgy figures. If there's a photographer prowling around, we phone each other up and say, 'Watch out.'"
March 17, 2005 -- Entertainment News
Renee Zellweger has a crush on Paul McCartney
Oscar winning actress Renee Zellweger has revealed she has a crush on British rock star Sir Paul McCartney.
According to The Sun, Zellweger said that she hasn't shared the secret with McCartney, but her friends might have told him.
"I haven't told Paul yet but some friends might have outed me," Fox News quoted the 'Bridget Jones' Diary' star, who is dating Irish singer Damian Rice, as saying.
March 16, 2005 -- Beatlefan
According to a source, Paul McCartney's US tour dates are being reworked and have to be finalized before an announcement is made.
The opening date of September 16 in Miami and the last show in Los Angeles on November 30 may be changed.
March 16, 2005
According to Nigel Godrich, Paul's album will be released on September 20, 2005.
March 16, 2005 -- WNCX.com
Paul McCartney's new album could be released between late August and early September, just before the start of his U.S. tour, according to various sources.
Two songs that may be included on the still-untitled set are said to be "Flying Blind Dark Eagle" and Riding On A Rocket."
As previously announced, McCartney has been working with producer Nigel Godrich , whose credits include the experimental modern rock band Radiohead. Macca's also done some tracks with American producer David Kahne . On some songs, the Beatles legend plays all the instruments, while other tracks feature musicians from his past touring band.
Marcher 16, 2005 -- ET
Entertainment Tonight said a spokesperson for Heather Mills McCartney denies she is pregnant.
March 16, 2005 -- Hello Magazine
While baby Beatrice sleeps peacefully in the corner of a smart New York office, her mother Heather Mills McCartney poses for the camera wearing creations by some of the world's top designers. She is looking fabulous, thanks in part to a one-hour workout every day - "come rain, sleet or snow".
It is incredibly unusual for Heather to agree to a photoshoot of this kind, but the circumstances are quite unique as her hairstylist, Jerome Obry of Bergdorf Goodman, is also the man behind the lens. The stunning results show just how well she works with the camera.
There is an aura of confidence and contentment around Heather, who lost her left leg in an accident with a police motorbike in 1993. She has been married to former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney for almost three years and they spend most of their time together, travelling the world or relaxing at home in the country with their 16-month-old daughter. "I protect her like a wild woman of the jungle," she admits.
Heather, who has worked with some of the world's most influential people, including UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and ex-presidents Bill Clinton and Mikhail Gorbachev through her campaigning work with the charity Adopt-A-Minefield, admits motherhood is the toughest job she's ever faced.
In this exclusive interview for HELLO! she talks frankly and openly about family life for the first time, and explains why she and Paul are so fiercely protective of their privacy.
Heather, how
did these pictures come to be taken?
"I was in Bergdorf Goodman at the 75 per cent sale
so exciting for us women! when I got a call to an urgent
meeting. My hair was hidden under my hat as I'd had no time to
wash it for two days, so I asked the sales assistant if she knew
of a hair salon. She directed me to the ninth floor where I managed
to get a last-minute appointment with a charming French man called
Jerome. He was so good I started to go regularly.
"One day I noticed a page of contact sheets under his hairspray can, so I asked if I could have a look. He was very modest and shy and said, 'Oh no, they're nothing.' Eventually, he did let me look and they were amazing and so was the model. So imagine how surprised I was as a 37-year-old mum when he asked to photograph me. 'Well, why not?' I said. 'Let's do it!'
"He came to our office in New York, set up when the baby slept, blow- dried my hair and photographed me in two hours and two days later shocked me with the results.
"The dresses were on loan from Bergdorf Goodman Valentino, John Anthony, Roland Nivelais and J Mendel. I wanted the photos to be published to help Jerome and because I love them."
You look amazing. How did you lose weight after Beatrice's birth?
"Having needed a Caesarean because my metal pelvic plates wouldn't allow my baby to come out naturally, I had to wait for a frustrating five weeks before I could get back to the gym. I don't believe in diets because I tried them all while modelling in my 20s my weight yoyo'd and all I could think about was food.
"Being a vegetarian, I eat a varied and wholesome diet. I simply eat no white produce if I'm gaining a few pounds and treat myself when my clothes feel loose. So no white pasta, no white rice, no white potatoes only sweet potatoes no white bread only real wholewheat and not brown bread, which is generally full of white flour. I bake cakes with wholewheat flour and maple syrup or honey. This keeps my weight stable as these foods minimise the glycaemic effect the rise in blood sugars which creates hunger sooner.
"When I eventually did get back to the gym I started gradually with two days a week, varying my workouts with Pilates, yoga, bike training and weights. Now I do five days in a row, one hour a day, with weekends off to allow my muscle tissue to recover."
What was the
hardest part of getting back in shape?
"The discipline of going to the gym in the rain, sleet and
snow when all you want to do is stay in bed! I remember that
5am wake-up call and the two-hour drive into town to work out
before going into the office when I was in my 20s. Now I work
out when the baby sleeps and my sister Fiona watches her. It's
the sole hour I have to myself in the day and it gives me the
energy I need to cope with our hectic lifestyle."
Where do you
work out and do you use a trainer?
"As we travel all the time, how and with whom I work out
varies. Now, my biggest treat is to work with a personal trainer
where possible and that's Richard in London, Chad in LA and Claus
in New York. Sometimes it's one-on-one at home or at a local
gym. The rest of the time I train by myself in the bedroom with
a fit ball and two ankle weights. There are many mat-based Pilates
movements you can do with next to no equipment it just
takes discipline early in the morning or when the baby's asleep."
Could you
ever see yourself returning to modelling?
"I've only modelled once in the last five years and that
was for INC, the group owned by Macy's department store in the
States. They helped us raise thousands of dollars for our charity
Adopt-A- Minefield in 2001 by donating a percentage of sales
from the clothes. Their sales skyrocketed, so they asked me to
do three more campaigns. I enjoy modelling and love the fact
that you don't have to be a teenager any more to do it.
"But the saddest part of modelling at the moment is the return of fur. A lot of it is dog and cat fur, mislabelled as fox, mink or sable, and dyed to order. It takes 16 puppies to make one coat and the horrific thing is they're skinned alive to make the fur better quality. How shallow to kill for the superficiality of fashion why not be happy in your own skin?"
What do you
think about the fox-hunting bill?
"The arrogance of the hunters going out the week after the
ban was enforced didn't surprise me. Anyone who wishes to chase
and terrorise a wild animal for sport has a cruel streak in their
personality. Drag hunting would allow them to carry on the sport
with an artificial scent and a prize at the end, and would even
employ additional people to lay the scent. The artificial scent
is much stronger than that of a real fox so the hounds would
be unlikely to be distracted by a fox on the hunt.
"Foxes in towns are trapped and taken back to Gloucestershire for hunts so this proves that farmers are not overrun with them, and anyway they naturally populate. Paul has lived on 1,000 acres for more than 20 years and never had to kill one animal. And even though he has lambs he doesn't have a problem with foxes or any wildlife.
"These arrogant hunters break the law and, worse, wasted all that time in parliament debating the issue that could have been better spent elsewhere."
Has motherhood
been easy for you?
"Motherhood is the hardest job in the world all mothers
should be paid a wage. Now, going to work feels like a holiday
even though I adore my baby. Whenever I speak to my friends they
say the longer you're at home the more confidence you lose. It's
absolutely true talk about multi-tasking! I've just started
to get a babysitter to give me a bit more time, but usually my
baby is climbing on my lap deleting my emails or cc'ing private
ones to inappropriate people."
You must be
delighted at the birth of your stepdaughter Stella's baby.
"I'm overjoyed for her as she'll make a great mum, just
as Alasdhair will make a wonderful father."
Who are your
favourite designers?
"Stella McCartney, Valentino, John Anthony, Dolce &
Gabbana, Chloe and Nanette Lapore, as well as high street brands
like Top Shop and Zara."
How are you
coping with the paparazzi?
"Because we live in the countryside and only visit town
for work, we aren't too bothered by them. It only annoys me when
they try to photograph my daughter as I like to keep her privacy
so she can decide for herself one day what kind of life she wants.
"One Saturday morning, my husband and I took her out to breakfast and some sad person telephoned a paparazzo. Our security asked the man for 30 minutes to leave so we could get in our car without stressing out the baby. He didn't care. Paul covered her with an umbrella while I tried to distract the photographer. Then I felt he needed some cleansing so I poured a bottle of mineral water down his chest, which is perfectly legal though he wasn't too happy to find his Prada T-shirt soaking wet!
"On another occasion I decided to film two guys dangerously pursuing me in a taxi. I wasn't with my husband or baby, yet they overtook a car to catch up with my taxi, mounted a curb and nearly knocked over a mother and child in a buggy. Then I filmed them going through a red light while the driver was on his mobile, then down a bus lane. They kept this up until I was forced to get out of the taxi and let them take a picture before they killed someone."
You've always
co-operated with the press, but you want to draw the line with
Beatrice. Please explain.
"It's a Catch-22 situation. I'd love to talk about my baby
but she deserves her privacy so I protect her like a wild woman
from the jungle. I'm becoming proficient at martial arts now,
so if needed I'll use it, especially after what happened to poor
John and George. You'd
think the media would understand our concern."
Why won't
you pose for pictures with her?
"I will never exploit my baby because if I do, it gives
the press the freedom to pursue and photograph her all day."
What is your
view about children being fed a vegetarian diet?
"Paul
and Linda brought their children
up on a vegetarian diet and none of them are in any way inadequate.
Our child is veggie and is blossoming. There are many alternatives
to meat that taste fab and are full of soy protein, as well as
tofu, avocado, pulses, seeds and beans. How uneducated a doctor
is to say a baby cannot have the best of health as a vegetarian.
It's worth visiting www.viva.org.uk,
which has a multitude of books on the subject.
"If I'd listened to my doctor when I lost my leg and not discharged myself to a health clinic, I would have had my knee amputated due to infection and no antibiotics would have cured it - but a pure vegetarian diet would and did cure it".
What are you
doing workwise right now?
"I'm producing a series of programmes for Classic FM in
the UK with my brother. I had an idea I put down on tape ten
years ago and my brother recently found it in a drawer. We approached
the station and they loved it. We were all brought up on classical
music, especially Wagner, by my father, who thought he was a
reincarnation of the composer himself! I played oboe from the
age of ten and hated every minute of it as I wanted to play saxophone.
My sister played flute and my brother bass trombone. Once I left
home I took up alto sax. I love Charlie Parker and David Sanborn.
"My day-to-day work is with Adopt-A-Minefield check out our website www.landmines.org.uk and I have many other charitable commitments."
Do you have
any other ambitions workwise?
"I'd love my own TV show. Presenting is what I did for years
before meeting Paul and I gave it up as he wanted me to be with
him when he travelled. I loved presenting Larry King's talk show
in the States and look forward to doing more in the future."
Is it true
you're moving to America permanently?
"No, that's a made-up headline. We have houses in the US
but only stay there on holidays or when Paul is touring or recording."
What world
leaders have you met and what did you talk about?
"I've met Bill Clinton and discussed his work with regards
to the landmine problem and the mine ban treaty. He was absolutely
charming, as is his formidable wife Hillary, who I received an
award with the day before the September 11 atrocity. She helped
us immensely when we organised the New York firemen's concert.
When I visited the disaster zone to give tickets to the firemen
they all spoke of her support.
"President Putin was another charmer. He even escorted me to his personal loo as it was many corridors away from our meeting room. It was a pleasant surprise when Paul introduced me as his wife - Paul was doing his first ever Russian gig in Red Square at the time and he replied, 'Yes I know. I've heard a lot about her involvement in the landmine issue.' When I questioned him on the Russian landmine problem he was very forthcoming and later wrote to me with more information as he'd promised to do, addressing it to Heather, not Paul. I thought he'd have no interest in me, seeing as he'd come to see Paul's concert.
"The same week I met my favourite leader, President Gorbachev. He gave me some flowers he'd handpicked from his garden and paid me the highest compliment: 'Your compassion for humanity reminds me of my beloved late wife.'
"I met Colin Powell twice, once at the State Department to discuss the US position on the mine ban treaty and its use of landmines, and the other time over lunch where I was more impressed by his fantastic wife and her love for him.
"Talking of love, Kofi
Annan was like a little boy around his wife Nan and was delighted
at a UN awards dinner, where we received an award along with
Muhammad Ali and Ted Turner, when Paul wanted to sit next to
me and we swapped the place cards around. Kofi said, 'Oooh, I
never get to sit next to my wife at functions. What a treat!'."
March 13, 2005 -- Sunday Mirror
MACCA BABY RIDDLE
Is Heather pregnant again?
Have Sir Paul McCartney and his wife Heather Mills tumthing to tell us?
I only ask because,according to their pals, the happy couple are set to announce some more nappy news.
Father-of-five Macca, 62, and 37-year-old charity worker, Heather, insist they're not expecting the patter of yet more tiny feet.
But, according to friends, Heather - whose daughter Beatrice with Paul is 16 months old - is believed to be coming up to three months pregnant and the baby is due at the end of September.
They say the couple are keeping their baby news under wraps until Heather has had the all-important three-month scan.
Heather was told motherhood was only a remote possibility when she lost a leg in a road accident in 1993 and had to have a metal plate in her pelvis.
This made delivering Beatrice naturally difficult - leading to birth by Caesarean section.
Pals also say the baby riddle is why Macca - who has three grandchildren - has delayed announcing a three-month US tour planned this autumn.
The former Beatle has pencilled in September 16 in Miami to begin his concerts in the States.
One insider said, "Paul was all set to go on a US tour. Following his successful appearance at the Superbowl at the end of January, plans were put in place to announce the massive US tour the following month. But that hasn't happened so far."
Just what can it all mean?
March 13, 2005 -- NY Times
Playing for Keeps
The soundtrack of New York would be incomplete without Peter Duchin and his band.
You haven't lived until you've seen Sir Paul McCartney twirl his wife around the dance floor to the music of Peter Duchin and his band. Other partygoers, the lucky ones at ringside tables, feign disinterest while trying to decide which is more remarkable: the sight of the former mop-top McCartney fox-trotting to Peter Duchin, or the fact that Lady McCartney, who wears a prosthetic leg, dances so beautifully that it seems almost rude not to stare.
But Duchin is at the piano.
We are in the enchanted principality of gold ballroom chairs
and the gracious aura surrounding those who perch on them at
the benefit dinners where Duchin often performs. If Nijinsky
were to come gliding by in the arms of Valentino, there would
be no gawking, except perhaps with the aid of discreetly angled
mirrors on expensive compacts. Why shouldn't those two dreamboats
be here? We're in heaven.
March 12,
2005 -- Newsday
Paul to perform
New York Benefit
YOU WANT STARS?
Here are stars: Paul Newman, Julia Roberts, Paul McCartney, Mary J. Blige, Tony Bennett, Robin Williams.
You want a truly great charity? Here it is - The Association
of Hole in the Wall Camps. These are family camps for children
with serious illnesses.
On April
21, the above celebs, the
Emerson String Quartet and the acrobatic group AntiGravity gather
at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. They'll appear, speak,
sing, fly through the air, make beautiful music and entreat their
audience to contribute to Hole in the Wall.
Call 212.462.2900 for tickets. ($250 - $500)
Hole in the Wall was founded by Newman, a man who has put his
money where his mouth is for this fantastic charity work. To
learn more about Hole in the Wall, log onto www.holeinthe wallcamps.org.
March 12, 2005 -- The Sun
Mrs Macca's Beat-led
Sir Paul McCartney's wife Heather says mums should be paid for looking after kids.
Heather whose daughter Beatrice is 17 months, said, "It's the hardest game in the world. All mothers should be paid a wage."
The ex-Beatle's missus, 37, is a producer on Classic FM radio.
She added, "Now, going to work feels like a holiday."
March 12, 2005 -- Daily Mail
There are rumors that she is expecting her second child.
But given Heather Mills McCartney's latest comments about motherhood, she may not exactly be looking forward to it.
The wife of Sir Paul McCartney - who, thanks to his £800 million ($1.5 billion) fortune, could employ an army of nannies - has complained that being a mother is almost too difficult to bear.
"Motherhood is the hardest job in the world - all mothers should be paid a wage," said the 37-year-old former model, who presented Sir Paul, 62, with a daughter, Bea, 16 months ago.
"Now, going to work feels like a holiday, even though I adore my baby.
"Whenever I speak to my friends they say the longer you're at home the more confidence you lose. It's absolutely true - talk about multi-tasking!
"I've just started to get a babysitter to give me a bit more time but usually my baby is climbing on my lap deleting my e-mails or cc'ing private ones to inappropriate people."
Her comments come in an interview with the magazine Hello! in which she reveals she has no desire to be a full-time mother, preferring to concentrate on her broadcasting ambitions.
"I'd love my own TV show," she says.
"Presenting is what I did for years before meeting Paul and I gave it up as he wanted me to be with him when he traveled.
"I loved presenting Larry King's talk show in the States and look forward to doing more in the future."
Although she says she is struggling to get time away from her daughter, she admits to having time to exercise five times a week, with a bevy of personal trainers.
"I do five days in a row, one hour a day, with weekends off to allow my muscle tissue to recover," she says.
"As we travel all the time, how and with whom I work out varies. Now, my biggest treat is to work with a personal trainer where possible and that's Richard in London, Chad in LA and Claus in New York."
She also reveals that the latest member of Sir Paul's family is being raised as a vegetarian, as were the ex-Beatle's children with his wife Linda, who died in 1998.
"Paul and Linda brought their children up on a vegetarian diet and none of them are in any way inadequate," she says.
"Our child is veggie and is blossoming. There are so many alternatives to meat that taste fab and are full of soy protein, as well as tofu, avocado, pulses, seeds and beans."
Although she has denied that she is pregnant, sources close to her and Sir Paul say she will admit she is expecting another baby in the next few weeks, after she has had her three-month scan.
If she is pregnant, it will be a sixth child for Sir Paul. He has three from his marriage to Linda - designer Stella, 33, photographer Mary, 35, and musician James, 27 - and an adopted daughter, Heather, 31.
He recently became a grandfather
for the third time when Stella had her first child. Mary has
two sons.
March 12,
2005 -- Contact Music
MILLS PREPARED TO FIGHT BACK
Sir Paul McCartney's wife
Heather Mills is determined to protect their daughter
Beatrice
from media intrusion by any
means necessary.
The former model refuses to poss with her 16-month-old daughter for press photographs - and she is more than prepared to put her martial arts training into practice if anyone crosses her boundaries.
She says, "I'd love to talk about my baby but she deserves her privacy so I protect her like a wild woman from the jungle.
"I'm becoming proficient at martial arts now so if needed I'll use it, especially after what happened to poor John Lennon and George Harrison.
"You'd think the media would understand our concern. I will never exploit my baby because if I do, it gives the press the freedom to pursue and photograph her all day."
The 37-year-old has already hit back at paparazzi photographers who have over-stepped the mark and invaded her privacy. One snapper tried to get a picture of Beatrice as McCartney and Mills enjoyed breakfast in a London restaurant, while two paparazzi chased Mills as she travelled alone in a taxi.
She continues, "Paul covered Bea with an umbrella while I tried to distract the photographer. Then I felt he needed some cleansing so I poured a bottle of mineral water down his chest."
"On another occasion I decided to film two guys dangerously pursuing me in a taxi. I wasn't with my husband or baby, yet they overtook a car to catch up with my taxi, mounted a kerb and nearly knocked over a mother and child in a buggy... I was forced to get out of the taxi and them take a picture before they killed someone.
March 12, 2005 -- Contact Music
MILLS DELIGHTED FOR STEP-DAUGHTER
Sir Paul McCartney's wife Heather Mills has expressed her delighted at the birth of step-daughter Stella's baby son Miller last month.
The former model and fashion designer Stella enjoy a tempestuous relationship according to certain sections of the British press, but Mills is sure her step-daughter will make a good mother and husband Alasdhair Willis will be a great father.
She says, "I'm overjoyed for her as she'll make a great mum, just as Alasdhair will make a wonderful father.
March 11, 2005 -- Sacramento Bee News
"Look for Paul McCartney to bring his show back to Sacramento in the fall..."
March 9, 2005 -- AP (Photo: Bill Bernstein)
Paul
McCartney Donates Painting To New York Firefighters
Paul McCartney and his wife
have donated a painting from their private collection to the
members of the Fire Department of New York -- and the subject
is something likely very close to their hearts.
The 1974 painting by Ron Kleemann features a Mack truck once operated by the members of the FDNY's Engine Co. 33 on Great Jones Street in Manhattan.
The painting, 57 1/2 inches by 62 1/2 inches, was presented by the ex-Beatle and his wife, Heather, earlier this month to the members of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, union spokesman Tom Butler said Wednesday.
"This is given with a deep respect and gratitude, from our family to yours, for all that you (the firefighters) have done," McCartney, the son of a former Liverpool, England, firefighter, said in a statement. "A heartfelt thanks, and I hope that all of the firefighters will be able to enjoy its beauty once it finds its resting place."
The painting will be displayed
at firehouses throughout the city, UFA President Steve Cassidy
said.
McCartney was one of the featured performers in a benefit concert
following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, which killed 343
New York firefighters.
March 9,
2005 -- People in the News
Female celebs bare it for Elton's cause
Maybe it wasn't all that titillating when a group of anonymous ladies in a small town decided to doff their clothes for charity, or when the idea was copied by anonymous ladies in other places. But how about Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham instead? Or Serena Williams? Or Minnie Driver? Or Kate Moss? Or Christina Aguilera? Or Paris Hilton? Or even Sarah Ferguson?
These female celebs in the news are among those in the nudes seen in a new book to raise money for the Elton John Aids Foundation. "Four Inches" (Scriptum, 144 pages, $65) is scheduled to be released on May 30.
The naked gimmick here is that each celeb is captured in the almost, but not quite altogether. They are outfitted in only three items -- a piece of Cartier jewelry, a pair of Jimmy Choo lofty spiked heels (apparent source of the book title).
All of the naked pics in the
book were snapped by top female photogs, including Mary McCartney, Sir Paul's
daughter.
March 9,
2005 -- Contact Music
McCARTNEY STAMPS OUT KENSIT'S GROUPIE INSTINCT
Blonde actress Patsy Kensit has romanced a string of rockers, but seeing Sir Paul McCartney perform live brought her 'groupie' days to an end.
The British beauty has been married to Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and Simple Minds singer Jim Kerr, and was relieved to discover she had no desire to bed the ex-Beatle despite his celebrity status.
The 37-year-old says, "I
saw Paul McCartney and thought how fantastic that you get to
see a gig like that and don't have to go home with the lead singer."
March 6, 2005 -- The Independent (UK)
Stella McCartney:
Don't call me Daddy's girl
What more can she do, other than 'become a smackhead and live
off my parents' fortune', as she once snapped. At Chloé
she increased sales by 500 per cent. Gucci gave her three years
to make her label profitable, and she'll do it in two. Now 33
with a child of her own, will she at last be forgiven for being
the child of a Beatle?
As Sir Paul McCartney ruefully says, "Nobody
is Beatle-proof", least of all his fashion designer daughter
Stella. When, at the age of 25, Stella McCartney's name was announced as the new designer
to the house of Chloé in April 1997, her predecessor,
"Kaiser" Karl Lagerfeld, sniped, "I think they
should have taken a big name. They did - but in music, not fashion.
Let's hope she's as gifted as her father."
Now 33, Stella McCartney is creative director of her Gucci Group-backed
own label. She did not listen to her mother, Linda, who warned
her: "It's such a competitive, fickle world. Do you really
want to do something where people judge you?" And how. Even
Jeff Banks, the Jimmy Tarbuck of British fashion, had a go, calling
her "just an amateur who has made it in the fashion world
on the back of her dad's money".
Last year, Gucci Group chief executive Robert Polet instructed
McCartney and her stablemates Alexander McQueen and Nicholas
Ghesquiere at Balenciaga that they had until 2007 to turn a profit.
Since Gucci bought 50.1 per cent of Stella McCartney for £6
million ($11 million) in 2001, the label has remained in the
red. But this is due largely to investment in New York and London
stores. Sales of Stella McCartney increased by 50 per cent in
2004 and she expects to turn a profit two years ahead of her
deadline.
The knives have been out for Stella ever since her graduation
from Central St Martins fashion college in London in 1995. "I
thought everyone hated me," she said of her remote attitude
at fashion college. What they called arrogance she called shyness.
Fellow St Martins students were furious when McCartney stole
press attention when her friends Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell
modelled her graduation collection. McCartney was reported as
snapping: "Other students ask their friends to model and
I've asked mine."
Days after Stella McCartney's autumn/winter 2005 own-label collection
was shown in Paris, the jury is still out on her bankability.
The Independent fashion writer Susie Rushton reported: "McCartney's
position on the fashion landscape has often seemed not to extend
far beyond dressing her celebrity friends ... [but] the confident
collection demonstrated how McCartney's signatures have matured
and become more convincing propositions." The Guardian believed
that "After a chilly year or two on the sidelines, her look
is being welcomed back", while The Daily Telegraph noted
the absence of McCartney's usual celebrity front row.
The reason for McCartney's absence from the runway this season
was the birth of her first son, Miller Alasdhair James Willis, on 25 February. Her
husband, Alasdhair
Willis, whom
she married in 2002 watched by Madonna, Liv Tyler, Kate Moss
and her then Gucci boss Tom Ford, was publisher of style magazine
Wallpaper in its heyday.
Vogue confounded the critics who said Stella's no-show was irrelevant
- the inference being that McCartney is propped up by talented
studio staff - by reporting that "Stella worked on and was
able to complete the collection". She was signing off outfits
from digital photographs hours before she went into labor.
Stella McCartney has an ally in Donatella Versace who followed
her late brother as creative director of the house and cannot
quell rumours that she too is merely a figurehead. Unlike Versace,
Stella's private life is intentionally unglamorous. She says
she's a "really boring" country girl and is keen to
emphasise her love for horse riding, walking and swimming, though
it's hard to imagine that your life is that boring when your
best friends are Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Moss and Marianne
Faithfull.
Chloé president Mounir Moufarrige's shrewdness in appointing
the 25-year-old McCartney was endorsed by a 500 per cent rise
in profits and a booming press profile. Before her, Chloé
was about as relevant in high fashion as Laura Ashley. McCartney
and her Notting Hillbilly posse gave the label a hip replacement.
McCartney admits she designs clothes "me and my friends
would like to wear". Her mixture of slinky lingerie and
tomboy tailoring struck a chord with girls who didn't want to
be slutty or bourgeois. McCartney dedicated endless collections
to her mother, Linda. Like Linda, Stella is
an animal rights activist who will not work with fur or leather.
Karl Lagerfeld calls her principles "grotesque". "Everyone
knows Gucci has made millions of dollars by working with leather,"
he says. "When she signed with them, she closed the chapter
as far as holding these sorts of scruples with any kind of credibility."
McCartney is the kind of girl who squares up to controversy.
She blithely used Beatles music for early Chloé catwalk
shows and paid homage to Linda's sartorial gypsy spirit when
she died of cancer in 1998. Talking a year after her mother's
death, McCartney finally flipped over the relentless "Beatle's
daughter" barbs. "When I would make a good drawing
in primary school, it was because my Dad was famous. Or if I
got a part in a school play, it was because Dad was a Beatle.
What do I do? Do I become a smackhead and live off my parents'
fortune?"
At 15, McCartney was already doing work experience at couturier
Christian Lacroix's studio with no thanks to Paul or Linda. She
has often said that she's happiest in her London studio. To her
credit, McCartney is never snapped falling out of nightclubs.
This could be due to a "normal, idyllic childhood"
when McCartney would call herself Stella Martin to escape recognition.
However, another stick the media has found to beat McCartney
with is the endorsement of her celebrity friends. McCartney famously
designed Madonna's wedding dress and sculpted the strapless number
Gwyneth Paltrow wore to this year's Oscars. There's even a suggestion
that only Stella McCartney looks good in her clothes. This is
unfair. Fashion houses pay upwards of £500,000 ($960,000)
to an A-list actress who agrees to walk their couture down a
red carpet. In comparison, Paltrow wearing a "mate's rates"
dress seems charming.
Marriage seems to have mellowed McCartney's ladette streak, and
this is no bad thing. She can now admit she was "trying
too hard" at Chloé when she emblazoned outfits with
slang. Though her latest show featured handbags decorated with
horse brasses, the McCartney look is largely elegant and mature.
Stella McCartney is a good designer, but not a great one, who
just happens to have a famous dad.
March 6,
2005 -- The Mirror (UK)
Sir Paul McCartney earned
around £21 million ($40 million) last year. His wife Heather could easily sit on her backside and enjoy the
lifestyle. She doesn't.
She's a feisty lady who cares passionately about people less fortunate than herself. This week she went to Europe to demand an end to the gruesome trade in dog fur. She had tears in her eyes as she showed the pelts of over 40 labrador pups sewn together to make a throw. I remember first meeting her years ago, and being impressed by her absolute drive and determination to get support for the fight against landmines.
Heather is often described in less than flattering terms. Some celebrities deserve all they get. Heather doesn't.
Daily Mail -- March 5, 2005
Sir Paul changes his tune and sells his songs for commercials.
It was not so long ago that he sanctimoniously declared he would never allow his music to be used in advertisements.
"We are not in the business of singing jingles," said Sir Paul McCartney. "We do not peddle sneakers, pantyhose or anything else."
Three years on, the former Beatles has put 20 of his songs up for license to be used in commercials.
His publishing company MPL Communications announced that a sampler of 20 of his post-Beatles songs, including Jet, Live an Let Die, No More Lonely Nights and Silly Love Songs, will be sent to advertising agencies in the next few days.
"The magic of music is something which unites all kinds of people-young, old, artistic and corporate," Sir Paul said in a press release announcing the sale.
"In our company, we aim to bring this magic to the world while at the same time maintaining the integrity of the music."
That seems a far cry from the feelings he expressed when Michael Jackson, who owns the rights to the Beatles back catalog, sold Revolution to advertise Nike trainers, Good Day Sunshine to promote Oriel cookies, and All You Need Is Love to help out National Panasonic in the 1990s.
"What Michael is doing cheapens a song which means a lot not only to me but a generation of Beatles fans," he said then.
"I thought Revolution was a serious song with a serious meaning - not a jingle to sell sneakers." Three years ago Sir Paul expressed his anger when Julian Lennon recorded a new version of When I'm 64 for an insurance company advert.
The change of heart could hardly be for the money. Sir Paul, 62, is around £50 million ($96 million) richer than he was three years ago, thanks to a highly successful tour which helped boost his fortune to around £800 million ($1.5 billion)
Bill Porricelli, of MPL, said, "Paul looked around and saw that the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Stones, a lot of his contemporaries are doing more film and commercial licensing and Paul said, "Let's have some fun with it."
March 3, 2005 -- AFP
Paris fashion: McCartney's feminine chic
New mom Stella McCartney offered her particular brand of feminine, urban chic for autumn-winter 2005-06, while Roberto Menichetti unveiled a sleek collection bursting in color at Celine.
"I'm so sorry I cannot be with you all today!" the 33-year-old McCartney wrote in her program notes, dedicating her collection -- on which she worked before giving birth -- to infant son Miller and her husband, Alasdhair Willis.
The British designer and daughter of ex-Beatle Paul McCartney also thanked her design team, which was largely responsible for bringing her winter line to the catwalk in the Paris stock exchange building.
McCartney offered what she called "feminine clothing with attitude" -- the ultimate wardrobe for the urban warrior in London or New York, combining masculine tailoring with girlish flair.
For daytime, a khaki suit with a simple black cashmere v-neck sweater looked perfect for the boardroom. Oversized chunky knit tunic dresses in black or petal pink seemed ideal for a lazy Sunday afternoon of window shopping.
Ample belted coats fell attractively to the knee. A black and white houndstooth coat formed a bubble around the hips. For a bit of sex appeal, McCartney offered tight black faux leather boots laced up over the knee.
For evening, cocktail dresses in basic black, soft pink and crimson red ruled the day. Lunch-box handbags with thick chain handles are the must-have accessory for next winter.
March 3, 2005 -- The Sun (UK)
Stella with her little fella
Stella McCartney proudly shows off her new son Miller
as she leaves hospital yesterday.
Dad Alasdhair Willis, 33, escorted Miller and fashion boss Stella, 33, to their mansion in Notting Hill, West London.
Miller, a week old today,
is their first child - and a third grandchild for Stella's delighted
dad Sir Paul
McCartney, 62.
More photos of Stella with her new son Miller.
Click here
March 3, 2005 -- AZ Centrals
McCARTNEY FOR SALE
How about "Jet" to push United Airlines or "No More Lonely Nights" for eHarmony?
MPL Communications, which controls Paul McCartney's post-Beatles copyrights, has made 20 songs available for licensing for commercials, TV and film.
A limited edition sampler will be sent to key music supervisors and ad agencies by March 1.
McCartney has allowed a few of these songs to be featured in film and TV but has never permitted them to be used in commercials.
"Paul looked around and saw that the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Stones, a lot of his contemporaries are doing more film and commercial licensing and Paul said, 'Let's have some fun with it,' " says Bill Porricelli, MPL senior VP of promotion and new product development.
Criteria for usage in a commercial is that the tie-in makes sense and that it be a national or worldwide campaign.
Price is, of course, negotiable, but Porricelli notes that because of changes in the economy, licensing rates have dropped during the last few years. However, we're quite sure none of these can be had for a song.
March 2, 2005
Photos of Stella with her new son Miller. Click here
March 2, 2005 -- The Sun
Macca earnings hit £21million ($40 million)
Sir Paul McCartney tripled his income last year - and matched the earnings of young rival Robbie Williams.
The Beatles legend's firm MPL Communications brought in £21million in 2004 compared to £7million ($13.5 million) the year before.
The increase came after Sir Paul, 62, went on tour. Robbie, 31, earned his cash with a hits album.
A source said, "Paul has a stake in Beatles firm Apple, so his wealth is far greater."
Sir Paul's daughter Stella, 33, has named her baby boy Miller.
March 1, 2005 -- People
Stella McCartney's Baby Gets Family Name
It's almost all in the family for Stella McCartney and her new son, Miller Alasdhair James Willis.
The fashion designer and her husband, Alasdhair Willis, turned to the McCartney family for the boy's third name, PEOPLE reports.
Stella, the son of ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, has a grandfather named James Paul McCartney, and a brother named James Louis McCartney. However, it was not clear where the name Miller originated. A representative for McCartney would not comment on the name.
Miller Alasdhair James Willis was born Feb. 25 in London. He weighed 7 lbs., 7 oz., and his mother is still recovering at an undisclosed hospital in the city. McCartney, 33, is unveiling a new line of clothing for 2006, which will show in Paris on Thursday.
"The Stella McCartney show will proceed as scheduled Thursday in Paris," her rep said, "even though Stella can't be physically present to take a bow."
McCartney is expected to be
on maternity leave following her release from the hospital.
March 1, 2005 -- WSJ.com
McCartney's top ticket price will be over $200
In today's Wall Street Journal
online there is a story about Clear Channel revamping it's concert
business with a blurb about Paul McCartney's
upcoming US tour.
"Where the market will bear it, prices will remain high.
Last year, for example, the priciest tickets to see Madonna topped
$300; still, the superstar had no problem selling out in most
cities. Blockbuster acts coming this year include Paul McCartney,
who is expected to tour from September to November, with Clear
Channel and AEG splitting the dates. The higher-end tickets will
cost well above $200."
March 1, 2005 -- The Scotsman
Ban Cat and Dog Fur Trade Pleads Weeping Heather
Heather
Mills McCartney broke down
in tears today as she pleaded for a ban on the trade in cat and
dog fur across Europe.
She said she could not understand how anyone could wear coats made from alsatian puppies or cat skins and added: "Why aren't people happy in their own skins, rather than wearing someone else's?"
Lady McCartney was sharing a platform with rock musician Rick Wakeman at a Brussels press conference designed to step up the five year campaign to force the European Commission to outlaw cat and dog fur imports.
To do that would discourage the slaughter of millions of animals a year in China just to provide clothing and toys and trinkets for sale in Europe.
Lady McCartney sat through a five minute video showing the slaughter in China of alsatians which are allowed to bleed to death and are immediately skinned on the side of the street before they are dead.
Then she voiced her shock at learning, just four months ago, of the scale of the trade and the failure of many EU countries to ban imports of canine and feline fur.
Lady McCartney said it was particularly shocking, bearing in mind the long running support for animal welfare by her husband, Paul McCartney and his late wife Linda.
"Normally I stick to landmines and disability issues. But now I'm trying to raise awareness about this barbaric trade in cat and dog fur."
Lady McCartney held up a coat made up from 42 alsatian puppy skins and said: "How can anyone wear that and think it looks good?"
Then she produced a fur rug made from golden retrievers skins.
At one point she faltered and broke down, visibly upset by the subject.
Lady McCartney and Rick Wakeman were brought to Brussels to boost a campaign which has preoccupied Conservative Euro MP Struan Stevenson for years.
He said today the problem was that most of the articles marketed in Europe using cat and dog fur were fraudulently labelled or not labelled at all, because few ordinary people would buy any product made from such furs particularly if they knew the levels of cruelty inflicted on the animals.
Rick Wakeman, for years the keyboard player with Yes but now known from television's "Grumpy Old Men" series said: "Nobody in the western world, nobody in their right mind, would even think of wearing something made from cat and dog fur if they knew what it was.
"I am a pet lover and I think this trade is absolutely disgusting. Retailers are being duped by being told that these furs are something else.
"What we are saying today is that the European Union should, and can, act. We are asking the Brussels Commission to do something. This foul trade could be stopped instantly if the Commission just took action."
Mr. Stevenson, a Scottish MEP, said the Commission insisted it did not have the power to act - a claim he said had been refuted by Matrix, one of Europe's leading law firms in London, the human rights barristers' chambers of which the Prime Minister's wife Cherie Blair is a family partner.
Mr Stevenson went on: "We are calling on the new consumer protection commissioner Markos Kyprianou, to act now. Mr Kyprianou, make yourself the most popular man in Europe."
An estimated two million cats and dogs are being killed each year in China just to provide fur coats and rugs and cat and dog fur trimming for toys and other goods.
Much of the trade is directed to EU countries and so far Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece and Italy have introduced national bans on such imports.
But other member states, including the UK say the issue requires action at EU level.
But Mr Kyprianou, who today was concentrating on campaigning for a smoking ban across the EU, insists he has no authority to act.
Today members of his staff were seeing Lady McCartney and Rick Wakeman but Stevenson said the commissioner himself had turned down an invitation.
The MEP vowed he would continue his campaign until there was action from Brussels. "More than three years ago investigators from the Humane Society International, America's largest animal protection organisation, went under cover in Asia to track the raising and slaughter of these hapless creatures. Video footage of this investigation left me speechless.
"Raised under deplorable conditions and killed by stabbing or hanging, these pathetic creatures are then turned into full length coats, fur trim on sweater and parka hoods, linings in ski boots and gloves, realistic figurines of sleeping cats, hair bows and a host of other objects.
"These items are purposely mislabelled with bogus names such as 'Asian Wolf', 'Corsack Fox', 'Asian Jackal' and 'Sobaki', or have no name at all."
Mr Stevenson added: "Sometimes these items are dyed to appear to be 'faux fur' or even to make them appear to be more acceptable kinds of real fur.
"But german shepherds,
golden retrievers and mixed breeds are being killed in their
hundreds daily for a business that embraces this loathsome consumer
fraud. This has to be stopped now."
PLEASE SIGN
THE DOG & CAT FUR PETITION!!!
From Heather Mills McCartney
Thank you for taking the time to sign our Dog & Cat Fur Petition
to EU Commissioner, Markos Kyprianou urging him to implement
a ban on the trade of dog and cat fur from Asia to Europe. It
is important that the Commission receives letters and signatures
from as many EU member states as possible to demonstrate that
outrage against this barbaric trade is strong throughout the
European Union. Please ask your European friends to sign our
petition and to write to their own Ministers calling for a ban
in their particular country as well as the EU.
78 animals had to suffer a
cruel and vicious death to make 4 garments.......Please help
us put an end to this barbaric trade!
News continues on the Macca Report April 2005
Macca Report Archived News Index
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