Paul is Dead... Paul is Really Really Dead.. Or not!

As many of you know a rumor started back in 1969, that Paul McCartney had died. "He blew his mind out in a car". As the story goes, the other Beatles didn't want the rest of the world to know, so they quickly found a replacement. Amazingly, they found a guy who looked like Paul, played left-handed bass and piano like Paul, sang like Paul, was a PR guy like, and even wrote songs using a lot of the same chords- like Paul.









For awhile, college campuses were filled with partying students studying The Beatles album covers and turning their records backwards for clues. And there were many "clues" that were found by these junior sleuths. Who can forget the OPD patch on Paul's arm in the Sgt Pepper's inner sleeve, or the flowers on a grave showing a left handed bass on the cover? My favorite was to turn "Revolution 9" from the White Album backwards, so that "number 9" turned into "Turn me on dead man".

The furor finally died down when Life magazine tracked down the reclusive McCartney working on his farm in Scotland. (unreleased b roll footage shows Paul was none to happy about the reporter's trespass). A photo essay and article assured us (or most of us) that our boy Macca was still alive and well living with the Lovely Linda and family. Another myth busted. Or was it???


Now comes word that a strange package containing two audio tapes recently arrived at a film production company in LA. How convenient that it lands at a documentary film company! This tape purports to be George Harrison in 1999. According to the company's press release: "Harrison tells a shocking story: Paul McCartney was killed in a car crash in November of 1966 and replaced with a double! British intelligence, MI5, had forced the Beatles to cover up McCartney’s death to prevent mass suicides of Beatle fans. However, the remaining Beatles tried to signal fans with clues on album covers and in songs." Wow, The Beatles saved us all from mass suicide! Incredible.

So, one could now argue, with the release of this tape, that Paul McCartney really is dead. Or is he? The Rock And Roll Detective has spent 40+ years locating, listening to and authenticating interviews of George Harrison. I have heard the real George and I have heard imitators. A DVD has been created by the LA film company around this mysterious package that came in the mail. It is referred to as Harrison's Last Testament. The Rock And Roll Detective has ordered the DVD.

As soon as we investigate this latest development in the life or death of Paul McCartney, the Rock And Roll Detective will reveal the results here at the blog. Until then, all of you with Pro Tools or Sound Forge can put on some McCartney vocals from 1965 (well before the "crash") and one of Macca's recent solo records (Electric Arguments or say Memory Almost Full) and compare the wave files.

Until then, let us wait and see.
Jim Berkenstadt
Rock And Roll Detective®
© 2010 Rock And Roll Detective®