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REMINDER!  Tomorrow, October 2, will finally see the release of the next two installments in Paul McCartney’s Archive Collection: Tug of War and Pipes of Peace!

At last, we can say, say, say it’s true: the next two volumes of the Paul McCartney Archive Collection are almost here in a variety of formats.  Macca’s second and third albums of the 1980s, the platinum sellers Tug of War and Pipes of Peace, will arrive from Concord Records and MPL with the expected array of bonus material, highlighted by a complete 2015 remix of Tug of War.

1982’s Tug of War marked McCartney’s first album following the breakup of Wings.  It followed 1980’sMcCartney II in his discography, which had been recorded while the future of the band was in question.  Reuniting the artist with producer George Martin, Tug was also a pronounced departure from the homemade sound of McCartney II.  Paul’s gamble paid off when the LP went to No. 1 in nine countries including the U.S. and the U.K., received five Grammy nominations, and yielded the U.K. and U.S. No. 1 duet with Stevie Wonder, “Ebony and Ivory.”  Paul was supported on the album by friends and colleagues including Denny Laine, Ringo Starr, Eric Stewart, Steve Gadd and Stanley Clarke, while Wonder and Carl Perkins were featured guests.  Single “Take It Away” also went U.S. Top 10 Pop; the heartfelt “Here Today,” written for John Lennon, remains a Macca concert favorite today.

Pipes of Peace, Paul’s fourth solo album, arrived on the heels of Tug of War in 1983.  Once again helmed by George Martin and featuring much of the same personnel including Starr and Laine, it was anchored by another international hit duet: U.S. No. 1 /U.K. No. 2 “Say Say Say” with King of Pop Michael Jackson.  It wasn’t the only hit single.  In the United States, “So Bad” reached No. 23 on the Hot 100, with title track “Pipes of Peace” on the flipside.  The single was reversed in the U.K., with “Pipes” reaching the No. 1 spot.  The album itself made No. 4 in the U.K. and No. 15 stateside.

For its Archive Collection release, Tug of War will be issued as a 2-CD Special Edition featuring a new 2015 remix of the entire album, plus a second 11-track disc of bonus audio featuring eight previously unreleased demos of both album tracks and outtakes “Stop, You Don’t Know Where She Came From” and “Something That Didn’t Happen,” as well as demo and solo versions of “Ebony and Ivory” and more. The Tug Of War 3-CD/1-DVD Deluxe Edition adds the original 1982 album mix and a DVD featuring the music videos for the album’s singles and the new 18-minute documentary “Fly TIA-Behind The Scenes on Take It Away.”  The Tug Of War Deluxe Edition includes a lavish 112-page book of essays and 64-page scrapbook, while a limited run of 1,000 Super Deluxe boxes will arrive in a limited edition acrylic slipcase with five hand numbered prints of images from the Linda McCartney archive.

The Pipes of Peace 2-CD Special Edition consists of the original album plus a 9-track bonus disc including Spike Stent’s new 2015 remix of “Say Say Say,” demos of three album tracks, outtakes “It’s Not On” and “Simple As That,” the previously unreleased “Christian Bop” and more. The 2-CD/1-DVD Pipes of Peace Deluxe Edition features a bonus DVD with the original promo clips for all three of the album’s singles, plus previously unreleased footage from the McCartney archives. The Deluxe configuration also boasts a 112-page essay book and 64-page book going behind the scenes on the “Pipes of Peace” video shoot.

In addition, both albums and their companion bonus audio discs will also be released as 2-LP 180-gram audiophile vinyl editions with gatefold sleeves and download cards. The newly remixed and mastered Tug of War and remastered Pipes of Peace will also be available on standard and high-resolution digital platforms featuring all bonus audio.

Paul McCartney’s Tug of War and Pipes of Peace arrive from MPL and Concord on October 2.  You can peruse the track listings and place pre-orders below!

Paul McCartney, Tug of War (Parlophone PCTC 259/Columbia 37462, 1982)

3-CD/1-DVD Deluxe Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
2-CD Special Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
2-LP Vinyl Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.

CD 1: Remixed Album

1. Tug of War (Remixed 2015)
2. Take It Away (Remixed 2015)
3. Somebody Who Cares (Remixed 2015)
4. What’s That You’re Doing? (Remixed 2015)
5. Here Today (Remixed 2015)
6. Ballroom Dancing (Remixed 2015)
7. The Pound Is Sinking (Remixed 2015)
8. Wanderlust (Remixed 2015)
9. Get It (Remixed 2015)
10. Be What You See (Link) (Remixed 2015)
11. Dress Me Up As a Robber (Remixed 2015)
12. Ebony and Ivory (Remixed 2015)

CD 2: Original Album

1. Tug of War
2. Take It Away
3. Somebody Who Cares
4. What’s That You’re Doing?
5. Here Today
6. Ballroom Dancing
7. The Pound Is Sinking
8. Wanderlust
9. Get It
10. Be What You See (Link)
11. Dress Me Up As a Robber
12. Ebony and Ivory

CD 3: Bonus Audio

1. Stop, You Don’t Know Where She Came From [Demo] (previously unreleased)
2. Wanderlust [Demo] (previously unreleased)
3. Ballroom Dancing [Demo] (previously unreleased)
4. Take It Away [Demo] (previously unreleased)
5. The Pound Is Sinking [Demo] (2015 Remaster)
6. Something That Didn’t Happen [Demo] (previously unreleased)
7. Ebony and Ivory [Demo] (previously unreleased)
8. Dress Me Up As a Robber/Robber Riff [Demo] (previously unreleased)
9. Ebony and Ivory [Solo Version] (B-side of “Ebony and Ivory” 12-inch single)
10. Rainclouds (B-side of “Ebony and Ivory” 7-inch single)
11. I’ll Give You a Ring (B-side of “Take It Away” single)

DVD – Bonus Film

1. Tug of War Music Video (Version 1)
2. Tug of War Music Video (Version 2)
3. Take It Away Music Video
4. Ebony and Ivory Music Video
5. Fly TIA – Behind The Scenes on Take It Away (new 18 minute documentary using previously unreleased archive footage)

Paul McCartney, Pipes of Peace (Parlophone PCTC 1652301/Columbia 39149, 1983)

2-CD/1-DVD Deluxe Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
2-CD Special Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
2-LP Vinyl Edition: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.

CD 1: Remastered Album (Stereo)

1. Pipes of Peace
2. Say Say Say
3. The Other Me
4. Keep Under Cover
5. So Bad
6. The Man
7. Sweetest Little Show
8. Average Person
9. Hey Hey
10. Tug of Peace
11. Through Our Love

CD 2: Bonus Audio

1. Average Person [Demo] (previously unreleased)
2. Keep Under Cover [Demo] (previously unreleased)
3. Sweetest Little Show [Demo] (previously unreleased)
4. It’s Not On [Demo] (previously unreleased)
5. Simple As That [Demo] (previously unreleased)
6. Say Say Say [2015 Remix] (previously unreleased)
7. Ode to a Koala Bear (B-side of ‘Say Say Say’ single)
8. Twice in a Lifetime (bonus track from 1993
9. Christian Bop (previously unreleased)

DVD

1. Pipes of Peace Music Video
2. So Bad Music Video
3. Say Say Say Music Video
4. Hey Hey in Montserrat (previously unreleased home movie footage, 3 mins)
5. Behind the Scenes at AIR Studios (previously unreleased 6 min edit)
6. The Man (previously unreleased home movie footage, 4 mins)