Bloody Nazis

Wings began its touring career in the lowest-key fashion possible on February 8th, 1972. Paul and Linda merely loaded a van with band members, kids, dogs, and equipment and headed down the highway with no destination in mind. They ended up at the University of Nottingham, inquired about playing a gig, and played to a few hundred gobsmacked students the next afternoon.

With no intention of playing Beatles numbers and no back catalog of Wings hits to choose from, Paul chose a setlist heavy with covers and simple blues numbers, plus a couple of tracks from Wild Life and the band's next single, "Give Ireland Back To The Irish". The novelty of playing unadvertised (and thus critic-proof) shows to small college audiences appealed to Paul, and the impromptu tour carried on through York, Hull, Newcastle, and Lancaster before arriving at Leeds on February 16th.

It was there that a reporter finally caught up with Paul, when Steve Hague interviewed him at a hotel restaurant for Radio Leeds. Paul brushed aside Hague's Beatle-related queries, plugging his band and new single. On February 17th, Wings played the University of Sheffield, and the following morning, Paul and Linda chatted with Heather Richardson of Radio Sheffield. Her interview was also aired on BBC Radio's Woman's Hour February 24th.

The "tour" wrapped up on February 23rd, and "Give Ireland Back To The Irish" was released in the UK two days later. The song's controversial topic caused it to be banned from airplay on the BBC, a fact which US reporter George Watson asked Paul about in an interview for ABC News, aired March 7th. The piece was filmed at Paul and Linda's Cavendish Avenue home in London, and the unaired B-roll footage of Wings rehearsing their new single still exists: