Mike McCartney was so good at shielding himself from the reflected glare of the billion-watt spotlight of his brother's superstardom that a typical reaction from the public has become, "Paul has a brother?!"
As the Beatles got big, the younger McCartney changed his name to "Mike McGear" and eschewed rock 'n' roll for humour. His comedy troupe, the Scaffold, still scored a No. 1 pop hit in Britain called Lily the Pink, about a lesser-known McCartney family member, Auntie Milly. You may be more familiar with Uncle Albert.
During an interview in town yesterday, the 58-year-old "Renaissance man" spent at least five minutes downplaying the sibling connection, explaining that Liverpudlians have "class" and "dignity" (among other traits unique to Liverpudlians) and do not go around revealing family secrets. A question about the benefits of a billionaire sibling - hey, bro, can I borrow a few mil till Friday? - was politely deflected.
Mike did allow that he is "taller and more handsome" than Paul, but that's about it. He suggests asking Paul about matters concerning Paul.
SHOW RUNS THROUGH MAY 12
Mike would prefer to talk about his new photo exhibit: Mike McCartney's Liverpool - Sixties Black and White - a series of Beatles-free images on display at the Provincial Museum's Sixties show through May 12. I didn't have the heart to point out that we're interested in this precisely because he is Paul McCartney's brother.
As it happens, it's not the fine art of photography on display here. Many of McCartney's images are blurred, of the backs of people's heads or both. There are celebrities - the back of Little Richard's head, Graham Nash sleeping, a blurred shot of Queen Elizabeth through a car window that young Mike leapt out of a bush to get. There's a shot of Elvis Presley that supposedly proves the King was in Liverpool, though "I'm not allowed," Mike says, to reveal what happened before or after the picture was taken. Elvis looks pretty happy, so maybe we'll just leave it at that. One favourite is an angry Jerry Lee Lewis caught in the act of screaming at a horde of teenage fans - including Mike with his camera. Aside from a shot of George Harrison's car, included as a "homage," Mike McCartney's Liverpool contains not a single shot of the Beatles.
It's the stories behind these photos Mike finds fascinating. He will undoubtedly share a few tales tonight at "A Night With Mike McCartney," featuring live music and a special appearance by pal Long John Baldry - "who got me into this mess," McCartney laughs. LJB told the museum people about Mike's photos and that's how it came together. The resulting collection, culled from long-forgotten negatives, is a world premiere exhibit.
A LITTLE SLICE OF LIVERPOOL
"The challenge," McCartney says, "is to find something as fascinating as the Beatles. This is the test. Are the things on the walls of sufficient interest and strength to get people in here, to enjoy another aspect, another side to Liverpool? I think so. Nobody knows about it. Nobody's ever seen these. So the chance to come over and give you a little slice of Liverpool was my greatest interest."
Tickets to A Night With Mike McCartney are $60 and include the concert, "gourmet" British pub food and a chance to meet the stars. Mike might even be convinced to sing. Says he, "Every now and then, if I feel like headbanging, I headbang."
Gotta love that Liverpudlian sense of humour.
