McCartney gets into top McGear

Mike McGear McCartney is a tough nut to crack, batting away questions about his superstar brother Sir Paul like a Test cricketer.
Mike McGear McCartney is coming to Chesterfield on April 9, 2014Mike McGear McCartney is coming to Chesterfield on April 9, 2014
Mike McGear McCartney is coming to Chesterfield on April 9, 2014

He’s turned dodging the difficult question into an art form, honed over decades of being interviewed by journalists.

You can’t fault him for doing so, especially when it’s done with such humour and particularly when he has his own show to promote.

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Frequently referring to his older siblng as Paul Who? or Our Kid, he said: “If you want to learn about Our Kid and listen to his music, go and see him. Much as I love him and his group, that is his world.

“I am starting my tour in Great Britain, my brother will obviously be shaking in his boots.”

Mike brings his one-man show, Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘n’ Roll (I wish!), to Chesterfield’s Pomegranate Theatre on April 9, as part of his first tour in 42 years.

He said: “It’s a celebration of me being on this Earth for 70 years. I’ll be telling you about the other side of Liverpool, of painters, folk singers and poets.”

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It promises to be a much happier visit than his first visit to Derbyshire many moons ago.

“I broke my arm on a Scout camp in Hathersage when I was 13,” said Mike.

“Up until then, I used to play drums with The Quarrymen (who later became The Beatles) when they came to our house. I was probably The Beatles’ first drummer.” Injury didn’t stop the second McCartney son from following his dream of making music.

He went on to form satrical group, The Scaffold, with Roger McGough and John Gorman in 1962, the launch of which coincided with the Beatles first hit. Mike said: “We were going on TV so I thought I’ve really got to change my name. In Liverpool at that time we used to use the words fab or gear and so I used the name McGear for 20 years. “My family have connections with Ireland and I thought it sounded Irish.”

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It’s anecdotes like this and his vocal prowess that Mike will be sharing at the Pomegranate. He said: “I’ll be singing live. They asked me if I wanted a band and I said ‘ no’....they will be full of sex, drugs and rock and roll. I am going to come and perform Acapulco!” Expect to find out a few trade secrets including the meaning of Aintree Iron in that Scaffold song...just don’t expect to find out anything about Paul McCartney.

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