For the 50th anniversary of Ram by Paul & Linda McCartney, over 100 musicians came together to celebrate the much-loved seminal album. With Sir Paul McCartney’s blessing, they have rerecorded all of the classic album’s songs and these recordings will released on 14th May as RAM ON: The 50th Anniversary Tribute to Paul & Linda McCartney’s ‘RAM’ through Spirit of Unicorn Music(and distributed by Cherry Red Records).
The idea was born in 2020 from a discussion between producer/multi-instrumentalist Fernando Perdomo and Denny Seiwell, the original drummer with Paul McCartney & Wings, who performed on Ram.
Original guitarist David Spinozza returns to reprise his parts on the album along with Marvin Stamm who played flugelhorn on ‘Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey’. They are joined by their musical contemporaries Davey Johnstone (Elton John Band) and Will Lee (The Fab Faux).
A second generation of musicians involved includes Brian Wilson’s daughter Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips), Dan Rothchild (Heart, Sheryl Crow) Pat Sansone (Wilco), Joey Santiago (Pixies), Eric Dover (Jellyfish) and Durga McBroom (Pink Floyd, Blue Pearl).
While the latest cohort of musicians expressing their love for Ram includes Dave Depper (Death Cab For Cutie), Lauren Leigh, Cindy Wassermann and Frank Drennan (Dead Rock West) and multi-instrumentalist Timmy Sean.
Aside from warm and sensitive rerecordings of all the original tracks on Ram, this new album will also include two non-album tracks from the original album sessions: McCartney’s first single after his departure from The Beatles, ‘Another Day’, was a huge global hit in 1971 and the single’s B-side ‘Oh Woman Oh Why’, is also included. The tribute closes with a reprise of the opening track ‘Too Many People (Slight Return)’.
RAM ON was produced by Denny Seiwell and Fernando Perdomo, the latter noting: “From early on I wanted this to not be a typical tribute record,” adding, “Every musician on this record loves Ram with all their heart and I think it shows. This record was made with pure love.”
Fernando Perdomo & Denny Seiwel.
The complete track listing for RAM ON: The 50th Anniversary Tribute to Paul & Linda McCartney’s ‘RAM’ is: ‘Too Many People’ featuring Dan Rothchild, ‘Legs’ featuring The Dirty Diamond and Durga McBroom, ‘Ram On’ featuring Pat Sansone, ‘Dear Boy’ featuring Adrian Bourgeois, ‘Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey’ featuring Bebopalula, ‘Smile Away’ featuring Timmy Sean, ‘Heart Of The Country’ featuring Dan Rothchild, ‘Monkberry Moon Delight’ featuring Timmy Sean, ‘Eat At Home’ featuring Dead Rock West, ‘Long Haired Lady’ featuring Rob Bonfiglio and Carnie Wilson, ‘Ram On Reprise’ featuring Pat Sansone, ‘Backseat Of My Car’ featuring Brentley Gore, ‘Another Day’ featuring Gordon Michaels, ‘Oh Woman Oh Why’ featuring Eric Dover and Lauren Leigh and ‘Too Many People (Slight Return)’.
Recording sessions for Ram took place in New York and Los Angeles between October 1970 and March 1971. The principal musicians were Paul McCartney (vocals, bass, keyboards, guitars and ukulele on ‘Ram On’), Linda McCartney (harmony and backing vocals), Denny Seiwell (drums), David Spinozza (guitar), Hugh McCracken (guitar) with Marvin Stamm (flugelhorn on Uncle Albert/Admiral Horsey).
Ram was released 17th May 1971. McCartney was hurt by the negative reception from the press, but the album was a huge commercial success and much-loved by fans around the world. In retrospect, the critics heaped praise upon the album at the time of its rerelease in 2012 and fans continue to love the album to this day.
Fernando Perdomo has made a name for himself as an in-demand producer, singer/songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist on the LA music scene. He is featured in the Netflix documentary Echo In The Canyon where he is seen backing up Brian Wilson, Norah Jones and Regina Spektor. He also played on the official soundtrack album of the film along with Eric Clapton, Neil Young and Stephen Stills. Operating from his own Reseda Ranch Studios in Los Angeles. He has produced hundreds of records and as a session guitarist and bassist, he has played with Emitt Rhodes, Todd Rundgren, Curved Air and many more.
Having played with New York’s jazz elite, Denny Seiwell received an invitation from Paul McCartney to move to London and become a founding member of the post-Beatles phenomenon Wings. He toured with Wings and played on many of that era’s biggest hits, ‘My Love’ and the Oscar nominated ‘Live And Let Die’ along with McCartney’s Ram, Wildlife and Red Rose Speedway albums.
Other Highlights of Seiwell’s London years included work with Joe Cocker, Donovan, and The Who with the London Symphony Orchestra on their groundbreaking version of the rock opera Tommy. His signature drumming can be heard on records by Art Garfunkel, James Brown, Astrud Gilberto, Deniece Williams, Janis Joplin’s posthumous Farewell Song album and Billy Joel’s Cold Spring Harbor.
You can pre-order RAM ON: The 50th Anniversary Tribute to Paul & Linda McCartney’s ‘RAM’ by clicking here.
You can listen to a teaser of all the tracks right here at RAMzine.
