Paul McCartney - McCartney II: Check My Machine

McCartney II is the third solo album by Paul McCartney, and the first since the formation of Wings in 1971. It was released in 1980, a year before the band’s dissolution and while their future lay in limbo. The album is a significant departure for McCartney, as much of the album relies heavily on synthesizers and studio experimentation. Background After the release of what turned out to be Wings’ final album, Back to the Egg, McCartney went north to his farm in Scotland to begin some private recordings in July 1979. The first song he recorded was “Check My Machine“ as a way to test the equipment, hence its title. By sessions’ end, he had recorded over twenty songs. With no immediate use for the recordings, he put them aside for the time being and returned to work with Wings in order to prepare for a UK tour that November and December. Simultaneously with the performances (which included the new “Coming Up“), Paul McCartney released his first solo single since