Back to the Egg – new book

Book cover

You’ll remember Luca Perasi’s book about one of Paul McCartney’s albums still awaiting it’s archival recognition, “Press To Play” – released this summer. Well, here’s another one which falls in the same category, the final Wings album, “Back To The Egg”.

Released on 27 October 2025, “Back to the Egg: The Story of Wings’ Last Album” by Luca Perasi (L.I.L.Y. Publishing, 174 pages, full colour, both available in paperback and hardcover) tells the story of one of McCartney’s most revered albums and periods (1978–80).

“This is my tribute to an album that has gained so much attention over the years that it couldn’t be excluded from the Milestones series,” says the author.
“Although it has gone down in history as Paul McCartney & Wings’ quintessential rock album,” the author adds, “Back to the Egg reveals itself to be a kaleidoscope of musical genres, confirming the elasticity of Paul’s catalogue, and a high level of experimentation.”

Dedicating an entire volume to McCartney’s “forgotten albums” seems a direction for Perasi. “With the recent ‘Press to Play’ book I wanted to break some new ground,” says the author. “Sales proved me right, as the book as sold as many as my previous one on ‘Band on the Run’. With Wings being in the spotlight now with the new compilation and the documentary, this volume on ‘Back to the Egg’ comes at the right time, although its inception goes back in time to mid-2024.”

“Sales proved me right, as the book as sold as many as my previous one on ‘Band on the Run’.

In its detailed account of the album’s creation and analysis of its songs, based on contemporary sources and in-depth interviews by the author with Wings’ members Laurence Juber and Steve Holley or key figures such as Steve Howard, Martyn Ford, Phil Thornalley and Kenney Jones, the book guides readers through the elements that make this record unique.

Enriched by coloured images and photos (including some from the personal archive of Laurence Juber), the volume covers the timeline of the sessions, the stories behind the songs of the album (including “Did We Meet Somewhere Before?” and “Same Time, Next Year”, unreleased material and the single “Goodnight Tonight”), their harmonic and rhythmic inventions, lyrical analysis, and the Wings’ British Tour 1979. The many steps that led to the dissolution of Wings are also explored, including the “McCartney II” sessions, the unfortunate Japan 1980 incident and Paul’s decision to make “Tug of War” a solo album. A fascinating insight into an album that has undergone a complete re-evaluation over the decades, and into the final days of Wings.

This is the third volume dedicated to a McCartney album in the Milestones series, which has recently seen the release of books on XTC’s “Skylarking” and Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”. The next titles in the series will be dedicated to George Harrison’s eponymous LP and The La’s iconic album, which paved the way for Oasis and Nineties Britpop.

Collector’s cards issued to promote “Back to the egg”