Filming: Spin It On, Again And Again And Again, Getting Closer by Wings – 12 June 1979

Tuesday 12 June 1979 | Promotional Film Shoot | Eagle Parachute Centre, Lympne Airport, Lympne, Kent, England

On Tuesday 12 June 1979, Wings filmed promotional clips for three songs from their forthcoming album Back to the Egg: 'Spin It On', 'Again and Again and Again', and 'Getting Closer'. The shoot was directed by Keith 'Keef' McMillan, who filmed promotional clips for several other Back to the Egg songs during the same week.

The primary location was the Eagle Parachute Centre at Lympne Airport in Lympne, Kent — a small airfield on the edge of the Romney Marsh, with views across the English Channel towards France. A 10-foot Wings logo was painted at the top of an aircraft hangar for the shoot. The band mimed to 'Spin It On' dressed in leather bomber jackets, the aviation setting complementing the song's driving, punchy energy.

Between the hangar sessions, Wings moved to a nearby rapeseed field to film the clip for 'Again and Again and Again', before returning to the hangar to complete the 'Getting Closer' promo. Also attending the shoot was Melody Maker journalist Mark Williams, who interviewed the band between filming.

The Songs

'Spin It On' is one of the most energetic tracks on Back to the Egg — a short, sharp burst of rock 'n' roll that reflected the influence of punk and new wave on McCartney's thinking in the late 1970s. At under two minutes, it was one of the briefest songs McCartney had released since the early Beatles era.

'Again and Again and Again' was written by Denny Laine and featured his lead vocal — one of the more prominent Laine contributions to a Wings album. Its melodic, slightly wistful character contrasted with the harder-edged material elsewhere on the record.

'Getting Closer' was released as a single in August 1979, reaching number 20 in the UK and number 20 in the US. It was one of the stronger commercial performances from the Back to the Egg campaign, though the album itself received a mixed critical reception.

Back to the Egg

Back to the Egg was Wings' sixth and final studio album, released on 8 June 1979 — just four days before this promotional shoot. Recorded partly at Lympne Castle in Kent and partly at Replica Studios in London, the album was an attempt by McCartney to respond to the energy of the punk and new wave movements without abandoning his melodic instincts. It featured a celebrated 'Rockestra' sequence — a supergroup recording session that included Pete Townshend, John Bonham, David Gilmour, and Ronnie Lane, among others.

The album reached number 6 in the UK and number 8 in the US, but was regarded by many critics as a missed opportunity — neither fully embracing the new wave aesthetic nor delivering the kind of polished pop that McCartney did best. Wings would effectively cease to exist as a touring and recording entity within a year of the album's release, following McCartney's arrest in Japan in January 1980.

Keith 'Keef' McMillan

Keith 'Keef' McMillan was one of the leading directors of promotional music videos in the late 1970s and early 1980s, working with a wide range of artists during the period when the promo clip was becoming an essential part of the music industry's promotional toolkit — a development that would culminate in the launch of MTV in August 1981. His work on the Back to the Egg campaign produced several clips during the same week as the 12 June shoot.

Lympne Airport

Lympne Airport — also known as Ashford Airport — is a small airfield near the village of Lympne in Kent, situated on the escarpment above the Romney Marsh with views across the Channel. It had been an active military airfield during both World Wars and a commercial airport in the interwar period, but by 1979 was operating primarily as a general aviation and parachute centre. The airfield's hangars and open landscape provided an atmospheric backdrop for the Wings shoot.

The connection to Lympne was not incidental: Back to the Egg had been partly recorded at Lympne Castle, the medieval fortified manor house adjacent to the airfield, in late 1978. The promotional shoot at the nearby airport continued the album's association with this corner of Kent.

Wings in June 1979

• Paul McCartney — vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards
• Linda McCartney — vocals, keyboards
• Denny Laine — guitar, vocals
• Laurence Juber — lead guitar
• Steve Holly — drums

Key Facts: 12 June 1979

• Date: Tuesday 12 June 1979
• Location: Eagle Parachute Centre, Lympne Airport, Lympne, Kent
• Director: Keith 'Keef' McMillan
• Songs filmed: 'Spin It On'; 'Again and Again and Again'; 'Getting Closer'
• Album: Back to the Egg (released 8 June 1979)
• Costume: Leather bomber jackets
• Set dressing: 10-foot Wings logo painted on hangar roof
• Additional location: Rapeseed field (for 'Again and Again and Again')
• Press: Mark Williams, Melody Maker, interviewed the band between takes

Frequently Asked Questions

Where did Wings film their Back to the Egg promotional videos?

Several of the Back to the Egg promotional clips, including 'Spin It On', 'Again and Again and Again', and 'Getting Closer', were filmed at the Eagle Parachute Centre at Lympne Airport in Kent on 12 June 1979. The shoot was directed by Keith 'Keef' McMillan.

What is Back to the Egg?

Back to the Egg was Wings' sixth and final studio album, released on 8 June 1979. Recorded partly at Lympne Castle in Kent, it featured a 'Rockestra' session with Pete Townshend, John Bonham, David Gilmour, and others. It reached number 6 in the UK and number 8 in the US.

What happened to Wings after Back to the Egg?

Wings effectively ceased to exist as a touring and recording entity within a year of the album's release. Paul McCartney was arrested in Japan in January 1980 for cannabis possession, leading to the cancellation of a Japanese tour. The band never toured or recorded together again as Wings.

Who directed the Wings Back to the Egg promotional videos?

Keith 'Keef' McMillan directed the promotional clips for several Back to the Egg songs, including the three filmed at Lympne Airport on 12 June 1979. McMillan was one of the leading music video directors of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

What is 'Getting Closer' by Wings?

'Getting Closer' was released as a single in August 1979, reaching number 20 in both the UK and US charts. It was one of the stronger commercial performances from the Back to the Egg campaign. Its promotional video was filmed at Lympne Airport in Kent on 12 June 1979.

What connection did Lympne have to Back to the Egg?

Back to the Egg was partly recorded at Lympne Castle, the medieval fortified manor house in Lympne, Kent, in late 1978. The promotional shoot at the nearby Lympne Airport on 12 June 1979 continued the album's association with the area.

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