Listening party: Venus And Mars by Wings – 20 May 1975

Q: Where was Venus And Mars recorded?

Primarily at Sea-Saint Studios in New Orleans and Wally Heider Studios in Los Angeles, between January and February 1975.

Q: What was the lead single from Venus And Mars?

'Listen to What the Man Said', released 16 May 1975. It reached number one in the US and number six in the UK.

Q: What was Allen Toussaint's connection to Venus And Mars?

Allen Toussaint co-owned Sea-Saint Studios in New Orleans where much of the album was recorded. He was one of the most influential figures in New Orleans music.

May 18, 2026

Listening party: Venus And Mars by Wings – 20 May 1975

Tuesday 20 May 1975 | Miscellaneous
Capitol Records, New York, USA

The second of two listening parties for Wings' fourth album Venus And Mars was held on 20 May 1975 at Capitol Records' New York offices. The event was hosted by the band's US publicist Dennis Fine and was attended by members of the American press corps. It followed a similar event in London on 12 May 1975.

Venus And Mars

Venus And Mars was Wings' fourth studio album, recorded between January and February 1975 at Sea-Saint Studios in New Orleans and Wally Heider Studios in Los Angeles. It was the follow-up to Band on the Run (1973), which had been a critical and commercial triumph and had re-established McCartney as a major solo force after the difficult early years of Wings.

The album was released on 30 May 1975 in the UK and US — ten days after this listening party. It reached number one in both countries. The lead single 'Listen to What the Man Said' had already been released on 16 May 1975 and would reach number one in the US and number six in the UK.

The Wings Line-Up

The Wings line-up for Venus And Mars consisted of Paul McCartney (vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards), Linda McCartney (keyboards, vocals), Denny Laine (guitar, vocals), Jimmy McCulloch (guitar), and Joe English (drums). McCulloch and English had joined Wings in 1974, replacing Henry McCullough and Denny Seiwell who had left abruptly before the Band on the Run sessions in Lagos. This was the first Wings album to feature the full five-piece line-up that would tour the world in 1975–76.

Sea-Saint Studios, New Orleans

Sea-Saint Studios was owned by producer Allen Toussaint and musician Marshall Sehorn, and was one of the premier recording facilities in the American South. Toussaint had produced records for Fats Domino, Lee Dorsey, and Dr John, and the studio had a distinctive warm, funky character that influenced the sound of Venus And Mars. McCartney chose New Orleans partly for its musical heritage and partly for the change of atmosphere it offered from London.

Capitol Records and the US Relationship

Capitol Records had been The Beatles' American label since 1964 and continued to release McCartney's solo and Wings recordings in North America. The New York listening party at Capitol's offices was a standard promotional tool of the era — allowing the label to brief key press contacts ahead of release and generate advance reviews. The London event on 12 May had served the same purpose for the British press.

Key Facts: 20 May 1975

Event: Listening party for Venus And Mars
Location: Capitol Records, New York
Host: Dennis Fine (Wings' US publicist)
Previous event: London listening party, 12 May 1975
Album release date: 30 May 1975 (UK and US)
Chart position: Number one in UK and US
Lead single: 'Listen to What the Man Said' (released 16 May 1975; US number one)
Recorded at: Sea-Saint Studios, New Orleans; Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Venus And Mars?

Wings' fourth studio album, released on 30 May 1975. It reached number one in both the UK and the US and was the follow-up to the critically acclaimed Band on the Run (1973).

Where was Venus And Mars recorded?

Primarily at Sea-Saint Studios in New Orleans — owned by producer Allen Toussaint — and at Wally Heider Studios in Los Angeles, between January and February 1975.

Who was in Wings for Venus And Mars?

Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Jimmy McCulloch, and Joe English — the first Wings album to feature this full five-piece line-up, which would go on to tour the world in 1975–76.

What was the lead single from Venus And Mars?

'Listen to What the Man Said', released on 16 May 1975. It reached number one in the US and number six in the UK.

What was Allen Toussaint's connection to Venus And Mars?

Allen Toussaint co-owned Sea-Saint Studios in New Orleans, where much of the album was recorded. He was one of the most influential figures in New Orleans music, having produced records for Fats Domino, Lee Dorsey, and Dr John.