Paul McCartney: Chaos and Creation at Abbey Road

PAUL MCCARTNEY: CHAOS AND CREATION AT ABBEY ROAD premiered on February 27, 2006 on PBS. In this unique concert, the legendary Paul McCartney returns to Studio 2 at London's Abbey Road Studios (where most of the Beatles' recordings were made) for a fascinating journey through his songwriting career, from his very first Beatles song to the work for his new album, CHAOS AND CREATION IN THE BACKYARD. Using a selection of vintage instruments from his own collection -- including the bass played by Bill Black on Elvis Presley's original recording of "Heartbreak Hotel" and the Mellotron mixing console used by the Beatles -- McCartney revisits his back catalogue in new and revealing ways before an intimate studio audience. McCartney reinterprets old songs and new songs, performs some terrific cover versions, and enlists the audience's help in a demonstration of "in the moment" songwriting and arranging. Among the songs performed are "Blackbird," "Band on the Run," "Lady Madonna," and many others. In 2005, Sir Paul headlined the halftime show at the Super Bowl, coauthored a children's book, became the first artist to broadcast live music to the International Space Station, completed a sold-out multicity tour of the United States, and released CHAOS AND CREATION IN THE BACKYARD, his first studio recording in four years, which has garnered three Grammy® nominations, including one for Album of the Year. Especially unique to this CD and the Abbey Road concert is that McCartney plays almost all of the musical instruments himself. Learn about several of the ones he used in the concert in our guide. Read how the Beatles and producer George Martin helped advance the recording process in the essay by contributor Ed Ward.