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This is the English edition of an autobiography by Mike McCartney tracing his life from childhood up to the dawn the 1980’s. The American edition is called The Macs for some bizarre reason. Although the general quality of the photographs are mediocre to poor in the book (no colour pictures at all), there are many important ones. I’d read this one for Mike’s very amusing style of writing, and get his book of photographs if you really want them. This is more of a family portrait, and also the story of a little band called The Scaffold, criminally underrated and scandalously taped over by the BBC. Paul gets a righteous amount of stick as a typical elder brother (I know whereof I speak), but its probably the sheer cultural picture of their lives as children that really impresses. And he points out that if their mother had lived, she may never have let either of them go into the entertainment business at all!

Here’s a taste, where Mike is talking about what led to him using the McGear surname for many years:

Wasn’t I proud and wasn’t I put in an intolerable position? Unless you were part of it, you’ll never know the feeling, but believe me it was ELECTRIC! Beatlemania…impossible, unprecedented, euphoric, dangerous, knickerwetting, irresponsible, arrogant, fab, gear, but most of all what the hell do I do… Paul McCartney Beatle brother! (It was like being the Queen’s daughter’s husband.)

To protect the innocent and retain a little dignity amongst the absolute chaos I decided to change my more than ample, historically proud family name (I can assure you it was that crazy). And it wasn’t only the desire not to cash in on brother’s new Beatle fame that made me do it. You see, my parents and family had taught me certain ethics, standards, pride, whatever you want to call it, which were impossible to go against, even if I wanted to. But Liverpool nouse also argued that with a change of name you got twice the coverage!

There’s a lot more where that came from! I’d put up the hilarious letter John and Paul sent to Mike from Hamburg but it’s very long.