Friday 14 June 1974 | Rehearsal | Curly Putman's Farm, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
On Friday 14 June 1974, Wings rehearsed at the farm owned by Nashville songwriter Claude 'Curly' Putman Jr. in Tennessee — continuing the Nashville residency during which the band rented the property for $2,000 a week and rehearsed in the garage. On this day they primarily worked on two songs: 'Let Me Roll It' and 'Hi, Hi, Hi'.
The day was overshadowed by a dramatic incident before the rehearsal even began: drummer Geoff Britton accidentally discharged a gun he had been given by a policeman the previous evening, narrowly missing his own foot.
The Gun Incident
Britton recalled the incident in an interview on 27 March 2020, quoted in The McCartney Legacy: Volume 2: 1974–80:
I nearly shot my f***ing toe off with that gun. I had it in my hand, and it was like a .45, the bullets went in the handle. And I took the clip out, but there was one in the chamber. I was standing by the corral, and I was on my own, and I just pulled the trigger. It went off, and it just like went right beside my foot. F***ing hell, man! Talk about an idiot!
— Geoff Britton, 27 March 2020, The McCartney Legacy: Volume 2: 1974–80
Paul McCartney was furious. He came close to dismissing Britton from Wings over the incident, and delivered an ultimatum, recalled in The McCartney Legacy: Volume 2: 1974–80:
I just said, 'That's it, man. You're out unless you get rid of that f***ing gun. It'll go off in your pocket, shoot your balls off! Or mine!'
— Paul McCartney, 6 March 2003, The McCartney Legacy: Volume 2: 1974–80
Britton kept his place in the band — but the incident added to the tensions surrounding his tenure. He had already been concealing a broken foot sustained during karate training on 3 June, and his time in Wings was becoming increasingly fraught. He left the group in early 1975 and was replaced by Joe English.
The Songs
'Let Me Roll It' was one of the standout tracks from Band on the Run (December 1973) — a driving, Lennon-influenced rocker that McCartney has acknowledged bore a deliberate sonic resemblance to John Lennon's solo work. Its inclusion in the Nashville rehearsals reflected its importance to the forthcoming world tour setlist.
'Hi, Hi, Hi' had been released as a single in December 1972 and had reached number five in the UK and number ten in the US, despite being banned by the BBC for its drug and sexual references. It was a staple of Wings' live set and a crowd-pleasing concert opener.
The Nashville Residency
The Nashville farm residency was part of Wings' preparations for their forthcoming world tour — their first major touring campaign since the chaotic 1972 European tour. The band had rented Curly Putman's farm as a relaxed, rural base for intensive rehearsals. The stay directly inspired the single 'Junior's Farm' (released October 1974), with 'Junior' being a nickname for Putman.
Claude 'Curly' Putman Jr. (1931–2016) was one of Nashville's most celebrated country songwriters, best known for co-writing 'Green Green Grass of Home' (Tom Jones, 1966) and 'D-I-V-O-R-C-E' (Tammy Wynette, 1968).
Wings in June 1974
- Paul McCartney — vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards
- Linda McCartney — vocals, keyboards
- Denny Laine — guitar, vocals
- Jimmy McCulloch — lead guitar, vocals
- Geoff Britton — drums
Key Facts: 14 June 1974
- Date: Friday 14 June 1974
- Location: Curly Putman's farm, Nashville, Tennessee
- Rental cost: $2,000 per week
- Songs rehearsed: 'Let Me Roll It'; 'Hi, Hi, Hi'
- Incident: Geoff Britton accidentally discharged a .45 pistol by the corral; narrowly missed his foot
- McCartney's response: Threatened to dismiss Britton unless he got rid of the gun
- Britton's other issue: Concealed broken right foot (injured karate training, 3 June)
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Wings rehearse in Nashville on 14 June 1974?
Wings primarily worked on 'Let Me Roll It' and 'Hi, Hi, Hi' at Curly Putman's farm in Nashville on 14 June 1974, as part of their preparations for the forthcoming world tour.
What happened with Geoff Britton and the gun in Nashville?
Before the rehearsal on 14 June 1974, Geoff Britton accidentally discharged a .45 pistol he had been given by a policeman the previous evening, narrowly missing his own foot. Paul McCartney was furious and threatened to dismiss Britton from Wings unless he got rid of the gun.
Did Paul McCartney fire Geoff Britton over the gun incident?
No — Britton kept his place in Wings after the 14 June 1974 gun incident, but his tenure was already under strain. He had been concealing a broken foot since 3 June and left Wings in early 1975, replaced by Joe English.
What is 'Let Me Roll It'?
'Let Me Roll It' is a track from Wings' Band on the Run album (December 1973). A driving rocker with a deliberate sonic resemblance to John Lennon's solo work, it was a key part of Wings' 1974–75 world tour setlist.
What is 'Hi, Hi, Hi'?
'Hi, Hi, Hi' was a Wings single released in December 1972, reaching number five in the UK and number ten in the US. It was banned by the BBC for drug and sexual references but became a staple of Wings' live set.
Who was Curly Putman?
Claude 'Curly' Putman Jr. (1931–2016) was a Nashville country songwriter best known for co-writing 'Green Green Grass of Home' (Tom Jones, 1966) and 'D-I-V-O-R-C-E' (Tammy Wynette, 1968). Wings rented his farm for their June 1974 rehearsals, which inspired the single 'Junior's Farm'.
→ Wings rehearse in Nashville – 12 June 1974
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