The Difference Between Paul McCartney’s Solo Band, Wings, and the Beatles, According to Macca

When you’re one of the most famous musicians in the world, your band drama becomes just as well-known as the band itself, and Paul McCartney’s multiple musical projects, from his solo pursuits to Wings to the Beatles, are proof of that fact. After all, the tensions amongst the Fab Four are nearly as common knowledge as some of their greatest hits.

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Once the Beatles called it quits, McCartney moved on to collaborations with his wife, Linda McCartney, and full band, Wings. But even that was rife with inner turmoil at times. The former Beatle seems to have hit his stride with his solo band, and in a December 2024 installment of McCartney’s “Fan Questions” series on his website, the musician pondered what made his solo project so different.

Finding Stability As A Solo Act

Paul McCartney has been in the public eye since he first burst on the scene with the Beatles as a suit-clad, moppy-haired bass player from Liverpool. As the Fab Four gained popularity (and criticism) around the world, the inner workings of the band became just as enticing to the general public as the music they made. The same went for Wings, McCartney’s band following the Beatles’ split.

From the early 1960s to the early 1980s, McCartney dealt with more band drama and lineup changes than most musicians will face in their lifetime. But after McCartney started pursuing an eponymous solo career more heavily, he developed a steadfast lineup that would remain the same for decades—the first in his prolific career.

McCartney’s solo band lineup has been the same since 2002 and includes Rusty Anderson on guitar, Brian Ray on bass, Abe Laboriel, Jr. on drums, and Wix Wickens on keyboards. The ensemble lovingly calls themselves “the band of brothers.”

Paul McCartney Explains The Difference Between His Solo Group, Wings, and the Beatles

During a December 2024 installment of Paul McCartney’s “Fan Questions” series on his website, the former Beatle contemplated what makes his solo lineup so much more long-lasting than his previous musical projects. “It’s funny because we get on so well,” McCartney said. “You used to hear, particularly in the ‘70s, of bands breaking up and arguing and not lasting. But with this one, we just get on really well.”

“I think everyone knows that I’m kind of like the governor,” McCartney said, “so that makes it easier, and we don’t have arguments. We just get on with it. And the band are such good players. We’ve got it now, so we can play, we can discuss things, and we can make decisions within the band. It works well. We’ve been together now for over 20 years, which is crazy!”

While it certainly makes sense that McCartney would be the “governor” of his solo project, his reasoning for why his eponymous group works so well harkens back to the ego-driven conflicts he dealt with in the Beatles and Wings. McCartney’s former guitarists, George Harrison of the Beatles and Henry McCullough of Wings, said McCartney made them second-guess their guitar skills to a fault. In McCartney’s solo project, the band hierarchy is clear and inarguable—which is perhaps why it’s been working so well for Sir Paul.

Photo by Chris Walter/WireImage