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Paul McCartney MSN Webchat Transcript

On Monday April 12th, Paul took part in a web chat live on www.msn.com. Paul was discussing his new DVD, ‘PAUL McCARTNEY: THE MUSIC AND ANIMATION COLLECTION’ which is now available to own in the US. Below is the full web chat transcript.

FULL MSN WEBCHAT TRANSCRIPT

Digital Dish Diva says: Welcome to MSN Live! This afternoon we are pleased to welcome back Paul McCartney to MSN Live. Paul will be answering your questions about his new project "Paul McCartney: The Music and Animation Collection."

Digital Dish Diva says: Paul, welcome back to MSN Live. It's great to have you back!

Paul McCartney says: Thank you Dish Diva, and to the rest of the wonderful galaxy, cyberspace people. Hi folks, greetings from sunny California.

Digital Dish Diva says: We have quite a few soldiers here today who wanted to say hello!

Paul McCartney says: Hey guys and gals. I hope things are going well for you. Keep strong and keep your spirits up. Above all, don't drink any alcohol in the evenings. My very best wishes to all of you.

Digital Dish Diva says: We have so many questions so let's get started!

Lill_McGill in Onstage_1 asks: Paul, as a mother I'd like to personally THANK YOU for providing such artistically beautiful animated films both in content and music, going back to Yellow Sub! Do you find animation challenging as opposed to your painting?

Paul McCartney says: Hello Lill. I love doing animation. It's a lot of fun to do because you can tap into your childlike qualities, which I try not to lose. I'm working with my friend Geoff Dunbar who directed these three pieces. He's a lot of fun, we just sit around and enjoy our imagination. He draws the characters and I do the music and voices. The whole experience is very enjoyable. It's something I would almost pay him to let me do. In the end you see something that children and adults alike can sit down together and enjoy and watch. It's a great pay off for me.

Tori_in_Texas_USA in Onstage_1 asks: Hi Paul! My son and I are looking forward to the new Animation DVD. Besides your music and paintings, I've seen your doodles/drawings in a McCartney songbook. You have a unique and fun style. Will you publish more or consider doing an animated piece?

Paul McCartney says: Yeah, this collection of music and animation collection we are using now is something we've done over the last few years, Tori. This is a platform from which to launch a one time ambition-- which is a feature film. So as we speak, we're working on the script to the story for a full length animation film which will feature Wirral the Squirrel and the tropical island, from the new DVD, his girlfriend Wilhemina and the amphibian friend Froggo.

Popper816 in Onstage_1 asks: Hi from Philly, Paul! I saw you 2 times on your last US tour and they were the best shows I've ever been to! Thank you! I was just wondering how you came up with the plot ideas for these animated stories.

Paul McCartney says: The plot for the animation, Popper, arrived in various ways. The first one we did was "Rupert and the Frog Song" which came from an illustration in a children's book where there was a Frog's choir and orchestra singing in celebration. So I asked myself, "What might they be singing?" and what would the music sound? This was a fun project. George Martin dreaming up the orchestration which became the Frog Song. The plot developed from the idea that we would show the frog's celebration and add a couple of dramatic touches. So that was that.

Paul McCartney says: The plot for "Tuesday" arrived straight from a prize winning book by David Wiesner called "Tuesday" and laid out the plot which we stuck to quite faithfully. Finally the plot for "Tropic Island Hum" came from the idea of a celebration song on the tropic island after Wirral and Froggo had escaped from some hunters in the forest.

JulieLondonGirl in Onstage_1 asks: Paul, I wonder, what brings you the most fun these days, recording or working with animation? Cheers from Brazil!

Paul McCartney says: Well hi everyone in Brazil! And thanks for the question Julie. This is the wonderful world of technology speaking directly to Brazil. The answer is I love it all and every aspect of what I do involves its own challenges and the fact that there's quite a big variety of work between recording, animation, touring live, painting, etc. It keeps it fresh so I don't have a favorite pursuit, I love them all equally.

Paul McCartney says: At the moment my pet love is the new animation release, at your friendly neighborhood stores. (plug, plug, commerical, commerical) (laughs)

Gayle_Dolinger in Onstage_1 asks: Does this coincide with the children's books you're writing?

Paul McCartney says: Hi Gayle, what the children's book is about, as I said before we always wanted to make an animation feature film, so we might use shorts and "Tropic Island Hum" which features Wirral the Squirrel is the one we are developing into a feature film. So in order to get ourselves a strong story line, Geoff and I wrote it up as a children's book and Geoff illustrated it. Then we got a children's book writer to help us with the flow of the story.

Paul McCartney says: We spoke to a children's book publisher in England and she, Susie Jendy of Faber and Faber, decided she wanted to do it as a book. So that will come out next year.

LauraED1 in Onstage_1 asks: Paul, I know “Tropic Island Hum” was done years ago, and I remember reading somewhere that Linda was involved with it. What was her involvement?

Paul McCartney says: Linda actually was involved in "Tropic Island Hum" partially in helping with the story and characters and she is the speaking of Wirral's girlfriend, Wilhemina saying "Welcome to our island."

LaceyFox1 in Onstage_1 asks: Paul, my children and I love you, and hello from Florida!! Which type of creature would you choose to best represent yourself if Paul McCartney were a critter? I guess I'm a Fox, since that is my last name (kinda clever too, if I may compliment myself).

Paul McCartney says: Hi Lacey, thanks for your question. I don't know. . . I might see myself as some great hunky gorilla but then again, I might be a squirrel like Wirral. Considering my obvious obsession with frogs, I may turn out like Froggo. Personally I favor the hunky gorilla. (laughs)

gabi_prettyflower in Onstage_1 asks: There are a many frogs in the films. Is that some kind of tribute to them because of what you did to them as a teenager? Gabi (*from Vienna*)

Paul McCartney says: (laughs) No, but that's a very good question, Gabi. That's referring to when I was a kid and I remember thinking as I would have to go into the arm my cruelty to frogs seemed justified as a practice for the Royal Army. Obviously now this is something I regret and who knows, I may be trying to make it up to the little dears by putting them in every single one of these films. I love them now and I apologize to the children of the one's I abused as a kid.

Paul McCartney says: Secret revelations of a frog molester. (laughs)

Digital Dish Diva says: As a father do you hope to do more work in animation and even for children?

Paul McCartney says: Yes, it's something I love. There's nothing more fun than sitting down with young people and sharing the joy of an animation piece together. It seems to bring generations together and for me, it reminds me of the innocence and simple joy of it all that we had as children and they show us now.

Hoffner1 in Onstage_1 asks: Hi Paul, what instrumentation did you play on the soundtrack of the new DVD besides the vocals? Thanks for all the years of great music. Ralph Los Angeles

Paul McCartney says: Hey Ralph, good to speak with you. I think the maximum I did besides the voices was a little guitar work. The pieces were mainly orchestral and arrangements played by musicians other than myself. George Martin was involved in "The Frog Song" and "Tropic Island Hum" and did a fantastic job so there was very little for me to add besides writing the piece and working on the orchestration with him. And Jonathan Tunik did the arrangement for "Tuesday" and that didn't require anything from me since I haven't learned to play the fiddle yet.

thayerhouse in Onstage_1 asks: Paul, I'll be a first time grandmother in July. Any chance you'll write lullabys for the new generation?

Paul McCartney says: I think in these animation pieces there are tunes that seem to appeal to little kids and older kids alike. So hopefully you'll be able to lull your grandchild to sleep with the soundtrack from any of these films.

Paul McCartney says: On the other hand, it might keep them wide awake and asking for more, in which case, that's your problem and I sympathize greatly. Congratulations anyway, Thayer.

¿GuitarKat in Onstage_1 asks: Paul, do you feel that this animation collection is nostalgic from your childhood?

Paul McCartney says: I think to some degree it is because I always loved Walt Disney and his work as I was growing up and it is a large inspiration for the current release. Interestingly, it was also about reminding people to not be cruel to animals and to love them as our friends which again is something that appeals to me greatly. So I think yes, this all started when I was very little watching the fantastic work of Disney and we hope that with the new collection on the DVD we can live up to the standards he set way back then.

jlhawaii in Onstage_1 asks: Is love still the answer? Texas, U.S.A.

Paul McCartney says: Yep, JlHawaii, love is still the answer and will always be. I hope in the future there are my songs and music and animation projects . . . This is the message we will always be trying to convey. Thanks for the question, all the best.

Digital Dish Diva says: Paul, thank you for joining your fans on MSN around the world to talk about your new project "Pal McCartney: The Music and Animation Collection."

Paul McCartney says: I want to thank everyone for tuning in and logging on. This is always an exciting thing for me to do. The idea that we all come together from around the world and can chat so easily in this way is something I find exciting. I send everyone my love and I hope you have a great day and any of you who manage to get a hold of the "Music and Animation" collection will enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed putting it together. Lots of love, Paul.

(End)

PAUL McCARTNEY: THE MUSIC AND ANIMATION COLLECTION - Featuring Original Music From Sir Paul And His Favorite Animated Stories



PAUL McCARTNEY: THE MUSIC AND ANIMATION COLLECTION includes three magical, animated tales produced by Paul McCartney: “Tropic Island Hum,” “Tuesday,” and “Rupert And The Frog Song.” This collector’s item edition is loaded with original songs (including the award-winning song “We All Stand Together”) and music from Paul. Available on April 13, 2004.



PAUL McCARTNEY: THE MUSIC AND ANIMATION COLLECTION
Bonus DVD Materials

• Exclusive Interview - Paul McCartney Talks About The Animation Collection
• The Making of “Tropic Island Hum”
• “Tropical Island Hum” Layouts and Storyboards
• The Making of “Tuesday”
• “Tuesday” Line Test and Storyboards
• “Rupert And The Frog Song” Line Tests

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